두 번 사는 랭커

Jeong-woo’s face was blank at first, then, he stiffly asked, 『What… do you mean?』

The expression in Yvlke’s eyes didn’t change. “As I said…” It was impossible to know
what he was thinking. “You won’t be able to find the soul anywhere. It doesn’t exist.”

『Why?』

“It’s possible that…”

『Did it cease to exist?』 Repeating the special benefit multiple times had put
extreme stress on his soul and made his vestige body unstable. It occurred to him
that it made sense for his soul to disappear from overuse.

“It’s possible.” But Yvlke’s answer was still vague.

『Or… 』 Something suddenly occurred to Jeong-woo.『Is it alive somewhere?』

“It’s possible.”

『Hey!』 Jeong-woo couldn’t stand Yvlke’s teasing anymore and shouted.

However, Yvlke only showed him the sparks that were bouncing off his hand. Crackle!
“Frankly, I’ve already strained myself just telling you this much. Look at this.”

Jeong-woo was dumbfounded.

“Just by giving you a hint, the system has already begun warning me not to interfere
in players’ businesses unnecessarily. Ohyohyohyo! I cannot tell you more. How
unfortunate.” Yvlke adjusted his monocle and continued, “Still, there is something I
can tell you within my authority. On that day, you were considered dead and logged
out.”

Jeong-woo muttered Yvlke’s words to himself. They seemed like gaming terms in a
way, but he couldn’t afford to forget them. He had to repeat them to Yeon-woo.

“Technically, what you’re thinking right now might not be completely untrue. Just as
### said, you’re also an existing Cha Jeong-woo.”

『I’m just vestiges left by the special benefit… 』

Yvlke shook his finger. “You seem smart but also frustratingly dull at the same time.”

Jeong-woo felt like he was being pulled in by Yvlke’s words.

“Haven’t you heard that souls are commonly divided into spirit and vigor? The spirit
is what we normally associate with souls. Beings live and die, and they long to be
reincarnated and be reborn—things like that. In that case, what do you suppose
vigor is?”

『The traces of the spirit.』

“Beep. Incorrect. It’s the course of one’s life.” Yvlke smiled. “The spirit loses all
memories when it’s reincarnated, so can you say that a tabula rasa is really you? You
are the result of all memories and choices you’ve made until the present moment.
Even if you’re reincarnated, the person who lived your former life and the person
who lives your reincarnated life are different. They’re strangers to each other. If so,
what is the vigor that records one’s life and experiences?”

Although this could have been just a rambling philosophical theory, Jeong-woo
trembled. He possessed Cha Jeong-woo’s history and life path. If Yeon-woo ever
found Cha Jeong-woo’s real soul one day, and the soul didn’t have any of the
memories, could it really be considered Cha Jeong-woo?

“Straighten your back, and pay attention. Technically, you could be the real Cha
Jeong-woo compared to some spirit that might not even be found.”

Jeong-woo bit his lip. Although he was silent, his despondent eyes had grown
determined, as if his resolve had hardened. As Jeong-woo turned to look at Yeon-
woo, Yvlke didn’t miss the newfound determination in Jeong-woo’s eyes. He could
see his will to live.

“I feel happier now seeing you like this. Ohyohyo! Ohyohyohyo!” His smile stretched
to his ears.
 ***

Yvlke’s laughter didn’t last long as more people approached him. “Oh dear. This is my
first trip in a long while. I have lots to do, and so many to advise. I suppose this is
why popular stars are always exhausted. Ohyohyo!”

The Dis Pluto commanders and soldiers stood grimly as Yvlke looked at them.
“Greetings to the chief administrator of the Bureau, Yvlke de Servant.”

“Ohyohyo. That name and position are actually already in the past, but it’s nice to be
called that. Yes. What seems to be the matter?”

Jerard, the interim commander who had taken Lam’s place, said formally, “I wish to
propose a deal to you and the Bureau.”

“Oho. A deal. Fine. What is this deal that you’re speaking of?”

Jerard took a deep breath. He had to be careful with his words if he wanted Dis Pluto
and their master to survive. Their master was putting up a good defense against
Allforone, but it was ridiculous to think that he was protecting them when they were
his spear and shield.

Losing a master once was enough. Of course, making a deal with the Bureau wasn’t
ideal, either. The relationship between the heavenly world and the Bureau was like
one between cows and chickens. Proposing a deal might cause problems in the
future, but there was no time to weigh the pros and cons. “I seek your advice.”

“Hmm. I think it’s obvious what you’ll ask.”

“What do you advise we do to fulfill Allforone’s criteria?” Jerard had made his
decision. Allforone had appeared because of the pledge between the heavenly world
and the lower world. He considered the presence of Tartarus’ military in the lower
world as a violation of the pledge.

Thus, if they upheld the pledge, Allforone would no longer interfere. Although
Allforone was known for imposing his sense of righteousness on the players and
transcendents, he was equally strict with himself.

“You wish to mollify Allforone, is it?”

“I know it’s not impossible even though it’s not well-known. As the former chief
administrator, you must have some insight, and so we seek your advice.”

“You seek my advice…”

“Please advise us.” Jerard and the rest of Dis Pluto bowed.

Yvlke’s eyes widened in surprise, and he laughed. He never imagined that one of the
proudest militaries of the heavenly world would lower themselves before him. From
what he knew, they hadn’t even served their new master for an entire day, but they
were already this loyal to him? ‘As expected of ###. It’s always new and exciting with
you. Ohyohyo!’ He chuckled, glad that his judgment of the player he’d watched since
the Tutorial wasn’t wrong. “Getting involved in this is a bit… but since it’ll be harder
to restore the stage if it’s destroyed further, I’ll give you a hint. There is one way.”

The bowing soldiers lifted their heads. “What…?”

“Before we continue, shouldn’t you show me what you will pay for the advice?”

Jerard used Open Speaking to reply, fearful that someone might overhear, and wet
his lips nervously. Yvlke’s eyes widened, then curved happily when he heard. “Oho.
Really? That must be a precious and important treasure that cannot be replaced for
Dis Pluto.”

“Treasure can only be protected with strength, and we are currently powerless.
Rather than having the treasure stolen, it’s preferable to leave it in trustworthy
hands.”

“That’s an interesting way to put it. Leave it in trustworthy hands, you say. I never
said I’d return it.”

“It doesn’t matter if you use it. It won’t become worthless just because you do. And
with our new master…” Jerard turned to Yeon-woo, who clashed against Allforone
again with darkness. There was a steady faith in his eyes. “I believe he will recover it
someday. Whether as a reward or through some other method.”

“Ohyohyohyo! Good, very good! This kind of confidence is important in the Tower.”
Yvlke adjusted his monocle and spoke again. “The advice I can give you is very
simple.”
“What is it?”

“The throne of death.” In that moment, as he bared his teeth in a smile, he seemed as
cold as a demon. “Think carefully about the trait of the seat ### is sitting in. You’ll
quickly find your answer.”

The soldiers of the Underworld tilted their heads in confusion. Then, they
straightened their backs when they came to a realization.

“Are you…?”

“Yes. That’s it. It’s also a good opportunity to test your loyalty.”

***

Swish. The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo barely avoided the hand that tried to
slice at his neck. He pulled back his left arm. Clank! The chains tightened and
Allforone’s hand paused in mid-motion. Yeon-woo unfurled his wings and swung
Vigrid powerfully.

[Vigrid-???’s hidden name, ‘Durenal’, is being released.]

[Folklore: Cutting in two with one strike of the sword]

However, Allforone immediately stepped on Shukuchi and managed to avoid it.

Vigrid passed through the spot where Allforone had been and sliced the space open.
The tall mountains that Yeon-woo had just stepped on were also neatly sliced in half,
their halves falling to the sides.

Rumble. As they collapsed, the dust clouds blasted out from the slopes and landslides
rumbled down. Yeon-woo used the chains to chase after Allforone, who stood above
the fallen mountains and within the dust clouds.

Boom. The two clashed with a thunderous explosion. Darkness and light collided,
ripping the sky apart multiple times. The Bone Dragon and Boo/Faust followed up
with Breath and various magic against Allforone, but the light that filled the stage
nullified all the attacks. Flash! The rays of light even canceled the settings of the
stage.

At the same time, Allforone appeared behind the Bone Dragon and brought his foot
down on her spine, crushing it. Then, he ripped her wings off and tossed her far
away. When Boo/Faust moved to stop him, space twisted, and light refracted in all
directions. Boo/Faust made barriers spring up against the prism of light, but they
were all destroyed, and his left shoulder was blown away.

Holy power began to creep over Boo/Faust and the Bone Dragon. Allforone
attempted to use Shukuchi to quickly defeat his old enemies, but the chains
tightened around him again and emptiness opened. The creature that seemed like
Yeon-woo was missing half of his body, but he still managed to plant Vigrid in
Allforone’s chest, making Allforone frown.

Boom! The two fell from the sky. As Allforone crashed to the ground, he sent up
immense dust clouds. All of his internal organs had been crushed, and Vigrid was
still skewered through his body. However, he waved his hand like he was unaffected,
and Yeon-woo barely managed to avoid the explosion of light.

He landed on the ground, gasping for breath. The creature that seemed like Yeon-
woo quickly regenerated his body with darkness as he panted. The fight was too
difficult. It wasn’t easy to deal with a monster that could return no matter how many
times you killed it. Still, the creature that seemed like Yeon-woo burst out with a
maniacal laugh. How long had it been since he’d tasted the outside air? Being able to
thrash around to his heart’s content made him feel more refreshed than ever.

The rough edges of his vessel had grown smoother, and unless he was an idiot, he
would be able to manipulate it properly even after returning to the Cast. ‘If he acts in
a frustrating way like before, I’ll really eat him.’ However, one thing continued to
bother him. ‘That damned bastard.’ Pssss.

「That scumbag hasn’t changed. He won’t stay dead at all. What do you plan now?」
The Bone Dragon appeared behind him in a burst of black smoke, extending her
wings. Purple energy emanated from the spot where her Dragon Heart should have
been and rapidly healed her body.

“And that’s only thirty percent of his strength?”

Allforone was already recovering in the crater. With a hissing sound, ashy fog and
auroras began to spread from his location. Allforone still hadn’t left the seventy-
seventh floor. Even though his true body was appearing on a different floor, he was
manipulating dimensions to allow his body to overlap in different locations. It was
commonly understood that most of his power was focused on the seventy-eighth
floor and above.

“Ah, it’s fifty percent now.” The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo smirked as he
watched the fog weave around Allforone. His canines flashed. He hated Allforone
even more than he hated Yeon-woo. Although it was mostly directed towards the
being beyond Allforone, since Allforone was of the being’s essence too, it was the
same thing to him.

However, it was impossible to subdue Allforone in his current state. He was just
stalling for time and nearing his limits. At this rate, Yeon-woo would be completely
taken over. This was why mortals were difficult to use. The creature who seemed like
Yeon-woo rubbed his lips with his thumb, thinking he needed to come up with
something, when Dis Pluto suddenly began to close in on Allforone.

“Hm?” The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo frowned. “What are those things
doing?” Perhaps they were trying to help him, but it just looked like suicide to him.
Actually, he didn’t care how many of them died, but the problem was Yeon-woo. If
they died, Yeon-woo would be affected. It wasn’t the pain of losing them that
concerned him, but Hades’ dying request would pose a problem. He needed to
complete the conditions in order to properly inherit the throne. After that, his level
would increase, and the vessel would become sturdier.

Moreover, the death that Hades ruled over was something that originated from what
he embraced. It was a piece that he needed to retrieve anyway, so he had no reason
to refuse it now. That was all he wanted. But whatever the case, Allforone was too
great of an obstacle, so he wondered whether or not to stop Dis Pluto.

“Ah, they’re trying to do something amusing.” The creature that seemed like Yeon-
woo read their determined faces and realized what they were attempting. He
laughed his head off. Even he thought it was a crazy ploy.

The smell of death wafted from Dis Pluto. The last condition of the quest was to
establish a base camp in a new haven. Yeon-woo had inherited the throne of death,
and he also possessed the power of the Black King to use souls. That gave the
cornered Dis Pluto a clear and simple solution. “We’ll devote ourselves to the king in
death.”

As one, the soldiers of Dis Pluto turned their weapons around and pierced their own
hearts.
It occurred before he could do anything. There had been no indication of their plans,
and they didn’t have any last words. They just surrounded Allforone and suddenly
turned their spears on themselves.

The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo could sense that Allforone was surprised for
the first time. Even if he was always looking down from above, he couldn’t predict
the future. A mass suicide was… too shocking.

The blood of divinities spurted from torn hearts, and souls floated above lifeless
eyes.

As he watched, the creature that seemed like Yeon-woo knew what he had to do. The
three Casts of the Black King shook. Swoosh. The shadows in the ground quickly
began to spread.

Although the light ate some of the shadows, some of them contained a darkness that
swallowed the light. The Black King was made up of shadows, and they were the
foundation of his power. Soul Collection was one of the shadows, and a black haze
soared over the shadows, mixing with the souls of Dis Pluto. They were being added
to the Soul Collection.

『Foolishness!』 Allforone caught onto what they were doing and spread fog around
to stop the shadows from expanding.

「Hahaha! This is crazy, you’re all crazy! Everyone’s lost it! But Allforone, even if
you’re the craziest one here, there’s no way you can block this from happening!」

「Stop… bothering… Master.」

The Bone Dragon laughed in an insane manner and burned the fog with her Breath.
Boo/Faust used the Spirit Guai to defend against Allforone’s other powers. They
were doing their utmost to prevent Allforone from stopping Yeon-woo and Dis Pluto
were attempting.

Chhhhh. Meanwhile, the minds of the Dis Pluto members reached Yeon-woo after
merging with the black haze. All of their thoughts, emotions, and desires were
relayed to the creature that seemed like Yeon-woo as one voice.

「New king.」

「Please.」

“As king—” Yeon-woo instinctively laughed at their invocations and a corner of his
lips rose. “I accept your implorations.” With that, Yeon-woo opened his left hand and
placed it on the ground. There was no need for him to say the command. The greedy
guy wouldn’t lose such an opportunity. White canines grew on the black bumps and
stuck to the ground. Clack.

[‘Bathory’s Vampiric Sword’ is progressing with a large-scale absorption.]

A gigantic shadow of the souls of Dis Pluto whirled into Bathory’s Vampiric Sword.
All the soldiers of Dis Pluto, from the lowest footsoldier to the generals, were divine
or nearly divine. Their souls were great and holy, which meant that their deaths
would affect Yeon-woo greatly due to the throne he sat on.

On top of that, they hadn’t simply committed suicide. They’d acted based on their
trust—in fact, their faith—in Yeon-woo. These acts of faith were the deeds of
martyrs, and they were considered outstanding offerings to gods. At this moment,
the creature that seemed like Yeon-woo was the king and god of Dis Pluto, who had
chosen to martyr themselves.

“Haha.” The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo felt his incomplete darkness fill up
and laughed. “Hahahaha!”

Death! It was the most fundamental form of darkness!

[The second and third conditions of the sudden quest (Exodus) have been
completed.]

The second condition of the Exodus quest was to successfully escape Tartarus, and
the third was to create a base camp in a safe location. However, there hadn’t been
any specific conditions attached to the location, as long as it was something the
system could approve and Dis Pluto would feel safe in. Those considerations meant
that the Soul Collection, which had the power of darkness, was second to none in
safety.

There was no need for concern once one was inside it. As long as Dis Pluto had their
king and god, the Soul Collection would never collapse. Even in death, they would be
with their god, which made it a paradise.

[You have successfully completed the sudden quest (Exodus).]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily accomplished. Additional karma
will be provided.]

[You have acquired 100,000 karma.]

[You have acquired an additional 200,000 karma.]

[You have been rewarded with the ‘Underworld Domain Declaration’. You can project
the power of the throne in designated locations.]

[You have been rewarded with the qualification to reconstruct Tartarus. You can set a
new Tartarus that leads to Erebus.]

[You have been rewarded with a piece of holiness. You have been given an additional
reward of a hint of transcendence.]

[The locked power ‘Dark Army’ has been unsealed.]

[The locked power ‘Throne’s Inner Eye’ has been unsealed.]

“The vessel has become more durable.” The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo
laughed, then clucked his tongue. He’d done something nice for the annoying guy, but
this was fine, too. After all, the body was a vessel that would be completely his
anyway, so the more durable it became, the better it was for him.
Feeling joy wash over him, he looked at Allforone. He could see the Bone Dragon and
Boo/Faust still engaged in a fierce battle. He raised his hand and shouted,
“Underworld Domain Declaration.”

[A new property is added to the designated territory ‘Binah’.]

[The Underworld territory has been set!]

The dancing haze extended like tentacles to stain the sky black. Darkness descended,
pushing away the fog and creating something underneath. The haze took on human
forms little by little. They were soldiers with shining black armor, helmets, and
spears, whose red eyes blazed like fire under their helms.

The army of the Underworld had been reborn from the new King of the
Underworld’s shadow, and they raised their spears. They were an invincible army
that would never die. The impossible feat of creating a divine army that would
recover no matter how many times they were crushed had been achieved.

The soldiers of the army weren’t just composed of martyrs but also souls that Yeon-
woo had collected in Tartarus. Lam’s soul, which glowed with the brightest light,
shouted, 「He dirties the name of our king!」

In response, the other commanders continued.

「Suppress him!」

「All forces!」

「Forward!」

「Forward!」

The army of the Underworld ran towards Allforone with the energy of death. Facing
the Bone Dragon, Boo/Faust, and what seemed to be an endless wave of soldiers,
Allforone, who had ruled the Tower for so long, now looked like a lone island in the
ocean.

Allforone turned his gaze to Yeon-woo, as if asking if he thought he could stop

Allforone with this. The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo smiled in reply. “Of
course, it won’t end here.”

Allforone frowned, unsure what he was thinking. Then, his eyes widened when Yeon-
woo suddenly raised Vigrid high, only then realizing what Yeon-woo was planning to
do. But before he could stop him, the creature that seemed like Yeon-woo ripped
space apart, and another energy gushed out of the emptiness.

『You’ve gone crazy!』

“Keekeekee! Even though the vessel might be a bit hurt, I should do this much to stop
you in this body, no?” The energy from the emptiness poured out as though it was
glad to break through a wall and began to fill the stage.

Thump. Thump. With a great shockwave of breaking space, the emptiness opened
again, and fierce winds began to swirl. It was a powerful tornado that even Allforone
had trouble dealing with.

I’ll. Eat. You. Give. It. To. Me. Mine.

It looked around and moved towards the being controlling the stage, its natural
instinct to eliminate the owner of the territory and take over the territory. The
owner, of course, was Allforone.

Swish. Boom!

The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo doubled over in laughter. The thing that had
appeared through the ripped space of Tartarus was emitting an intense vestige that
made it clear to everyone what it was: Mother Earth. She had been searching for
Yeon-woo—and searching for the stage.

Give. It. Even though Yeon-woo was right next to her, Mother Earth couldn’t sense
him because something greater had swallowed Yeon-woo up and hid his presence.

Because of this, Mother Earth thought Allforone had consumed Yeon-woo, placing
him in an awkward position.

Allforone was flustered. He’d never expected that both the army of the Underworld
and Mother Earth would appear. Still, he couldn’t allow someone like Mother Earth
to invade the stage either. He thought it would be too dangerous. Allforone’s
expression grew grim, and he brought over half of his true body from the seventy-
seventh floor.

Swish! The light around him burst open and unspooled like string. Thump! The
pressure on the stage expanded as an extraordinary presence soared up. It was
Allforone’s first appearance in dozens of years.

On his right, the soldiers of the Underworld ran to him, and on his left, Mother
Earth’s aura approached. Allforone began to move in order to quickly eliminate
them. If he wasted time, the seventy-seventh floor would be invaded by the beings of
the heavenly world.

“Fuck…! What to do now…”

“Ohyohyohyo!”

The Guardians cried out with devastated faces. Yeon-woo turned around and
stretched out his shadow to his party. He thought he had caused enough trouble.
Even Allforone would have trouble dealing with all of them. After the fight was over,
he’d probably have to rush to the seventy-seventh floor and focus on propping up his
defenses.

Restoring the damage and the effects of his descent would tax him greatly, and the
system could limit him. Everything worked out, especially since the union was on the
verge of becoming undone. That annoying monster could be avoided for the time
being. Most of all, it was satisfying to have landed a punch on that stuffy face.

“Keekeekeek!” The creature that seemed like Yeon-woo laughed and moved floors.

[Will you move to the next floor?]

[You are being transported to the 36th floor.]

[This is the 36th floor, the gate of Blue Island.]

A number of people poured out of the big blue portal. Kahn and the other members
of the party looked completely exhausted. From the battle in Tartarus to Allforone’s
appearance, they had faced consecutive large-scale events that most players would
probably see once or twice in their lifetimes. They felt dizzy.

“Cain!”

But they didn’t have the time to be tired. As soon as they got through the portal,
Yeon-woo lost his balance and fell over. Kahn dashed forward and picked Yeon-woo
up. It was hard to believe that the limp person in his arms was the one who had just
crazily fought Allforone.

Black haze leaked out of Yeon-woo like water. His temperature was so hot, it was as
though he were on fire. It was divine fever. Kahn and Brahm tried to heal Yeon-woo
with Bian and magic, but the fever only grew worse. It didn’t seem to want to cool
down.

Divine fever was the aftereffect of the visitation of a deity. Since it overheated the
soul, there were limits to what even Bian could do. Brahm was from the ninety-
eighth floor, but that was also why he knew even less about how to treat it.

Just then, a sharp voice came from behind. 「Move, you thick-witted idiots.」

The party turned to the voice and stiffened. The Summer Queen was walking
elegantly to them in her human form. Instead of the red hair that had personified her
during her life, she now had long, black hair. The Summer Queen narrowed her eyes
as she noticed everyone’s guarded expressions. 「I know what you’re thinking in
those stupid heads of yours, but that won’t happen, so move. I don’t like it, but I have
to help him right now.」
Yeon-woo’s power had summoned the Summer Queen. If something went wrong
with him, her chances of resurrection would disappear. Yeon-woo’s companions
seemed to think she had a point, so they stepped back, although they continued to be
wary. They knew how sly the Summer Queen was.

Even if they were on the same side now, she had to have some resentment toward
Yeon-woo, who had pretty much killed her. However, the Summer Queen snorted,
unconcerned, and approached Yeon-woo. At that point, someone stopped her. It was
Jeong-woo.

The Summer Queen paused. Her surrender as a Bone Dragon was humiliating, but
she had accepted it was because she had a lingering attachment to Jeong-woo. 「
What is it? Do you still have something to say, Heaven Wing?」

Technically, the Summer Queen was one of Jeong-woo’s greatest enemies. Just as he
had taken her Dragon Heart, she had taken his life. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary
for them to antagonize each other, but Jeong-woo only shook his head and said with
a faint smile, 『No. Please take good care of my brother.』

The Summer Queen didn’t speak.

『Please, Ismenios.』

「Hmph. Like I said, I’m one with him even if I don’t like him. So stop getting in the
way and move.」 The Summer Queen’s eyes trembled for a moment when Jeong-
woo said her name, but she gracefully walked past him. Jeong-woo just watched her.
「Fool. If you want to be someone who can resist me even for a little bit, you should
be able to overcome this easily. You still have a long way to go.」 The Summer Queen
spread open her hand as she looked at Yeon-woo. Whoosh. Blue light exploded from
her palm.

***

Where… was he?

『I thought the vessel was ready, but the contents are still too weak. There’s nothing
to eat.』

Everything was spinning.

『Keekeekeek! You’ll have to work harder. You’re nearing the end of the time I’ve
given you.]』

What was he talking about?

『You don’t think that you’re the only one being given this opportunity, right?』

Opportunity? Yeon-woo snapped to attention. He was barely awake after roaming

deep in a dark sea. Fragments of memories floated up in his head of uniting with the
Demonism, returning Boo/Faust’s memories, turning the Summer Queen into the
Bone Dragon, and darkness whirling like fire with a wave of his hand. It felt as
though some remained on the tips of his fingers.

It had been him, but also not him. It had been… something great. It was difficult to
call it the Demonism anymore. ‘It was like returning to the origin… ’

It was as though forgotten memories and egos buried inside an abyss had been
pulled up. It was like… the tip of an iceberg. Yeon-woo was merely the part that could
be seen on the surface, and the rest was deep in his consciousness. He had only
expected the Demonism to pop out and wreak a little havoc, and this feeling was
completely unexpected. However, as if it had no intention of satisfying Yeon-woo’s
curiosity, the Demonism disappeared after teasing him.

Yeon-woo called it multiple times, but the Demonism didn’t even turn around and
just hid itself in the Philosopher’s Stone to sleep. Still, it was a relief that he’d helped
them deal with Allforone. Yeon-woo couldn’t imagine what would have happened
without his help. Dis Pluto would have been destroyed, and the throne of the
Underworld seized from him.

Of course, considering how perfect and omniscient as Allforone was, it was likely he
would resume control. But Yeon-woo agreed with the Demonism’s assessment that
Allforone would be busy for the time being. The pressure from the higher floors was
probably quite intense right now.

With Mother Earth below, and the progenitor gods and creator gods above,
Allforone’s hands were tied. And even if Allforone did somehow manage to get rid of
them, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to go after Yeon-woo immediately after.

Now that he’d seen Yeon-woo awaken the power of the Black King, he would
probably come up with a way to fight it first. In the end, Yeon-woo had to grow as
powerful as possible before Allforone interfered again. ‘Aside from that… you
definitely have a grudge against Allforone. How do you know each other?’

His eyes slowly opened after asking the Demonism that question. He saw a woman
with long, black-red hair speaking to someone who looked like him. Although it was
his first time to see that hair color, Yeon-woo recognized the familiar face right away,
especially since she was connected to him spiritually. “Summer Queen.”

The entity in front of him was the Summer Queen but also not. The real Summer
Queen had been erased and then became a supplement for Yeon-woo’s soul. The
Summer Queen in front of him was only a husk of her old self. However, since her
original self had been hostile to him, Yeon-woo felt like he was looking at a separate
branch that had grown from the same root. As she talked, the Summer Queen turned
her head to Yeon-woo. She confirmed he was up, her impassive eyes looking him up
and down. She straightened with her usual elegant expression. 「It seems like you’re
better, despite your pitiful appearance.」

『You’re leaving?』 Jeong-woo smiled crookedly at the Summer Queen.

She sniffed. 「I fell into nothingness and air a long time ago. The only reason I’m still
here is lingering attachment. If the elders of my species could see me, they’d be
extremely horrified.」 The Draconic species never went against the laws of nature.
They moved according to it, and at times, they moved the laws to manifest their will,
which was why they were blessed by mana.

It was unthinkable for the Summer Queen to have gone against the natural law of
death and be reborn. However, as usual, the Summer Queen wasn’t one for regrets.
「I enjoyed my time, and I spoke with you. That’s enough.」

Her conversation with Jeong-woo had just been small talk about the past because
Yeon-woo had woken up sooner than she expected. But she was satisfied. Jeong-woo
had smiled at her, his enemy. Despite his resentment of her, and the fact they didn’t
have anything else between them, he said it was fine because his brother would
avenge him. In fact, he’d even said that since they were both dead, they should try to
get along and forget the past.

She didn’t know whether he was innocent, naive, or just generous, but this helped
her get rid of her lingering feelings. Swoosh. The Summer Queen vanished with the
wind.

Yeon-woo turned to Jeong-woo. Jeong-woo’s spirit body was still faint, and letters
flowed through it like blood. Still, he looked more stable than before, even though
Yeon-woo knew it was just a temporary fix.

As soon as a vestige body realized what it was, it would start to scatter. The
knowledge of its inauthencity made it difficult for it to maintain its form.
Furthermore, he had used too much of his soul power, so he had even less time.

“Feeling better?”

『Yeah. Thanks to you.』

“Then that’s a relief.” Yeon-woo nodded. He was so unemotional that it was hard to
tell if he really meant it, but as his brother, Jeong-woo knew Yeon-woo was being
sincere. Because of this, he could finally say what had been on his mind ever since
the battle ended.

『Hyung, do you remember what I said that time?』

“What?”

『That I want to live again.』

“I was a bad son, but I want to be a parent like Mom… I want to live again… And I
want to hug Sesha just like Mom used to hug us. Do you… think that’s possible?” It
was what Jeong-woo said when he’d first woken up and after they had a deep
conversation. He wanted to hug Sesha with his own arms and apologize and express
his gratitude to Ananta when he saw her again.

『Can you grant my wish?』 Jeong-woo looked at Yeon-woo desperately.

Yeon-woo nodded solemnly. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

『You know resurrection is beyond the domain of most gods, right?』

“Of course.”
『Then you have a lot to do.』 Jeong-woo grinned. There were cases of players
handling corpses or using souls. However, returning a dead person to the same
condition they were when they were alive had never occurred in the Tower before.

Resurrection was beyond the territory of normal skills and powers. They were
miracles. Only a conceptual god or a progenitor god related to creation or life could
make it possible. Also, since it was an unknown territory, it was only a guess that
these gods would even be able to do it. After all, he had never heard of anyone
succeeding.

That meant Yeon-woo wouldn’t be able to succeed even after gaining the throne of
the Underworld and gaining divinity. Then there was only one way Yeon-woo could
resurrect Jeong-woo. He’d have to reach the top of the Tower to become a true god in
order for his wish to be granted. He had to reach the goal of every player.

『 Yeon-woo is going to be busy again.』 Reaching the 100th floor meant climbing to
the fiftieth floor, the wall that players had difficulty getting over, passing Allforone on
the seventy-seventh floor, and stepping onto the ninety-eighth floor, where gods and
demons lived. Then, there was the land of mystery that neither player nor
transcendent knew anything about: the ninety-ninth floor. On top of that, it would be
next to impossible to find a soul that could be anywhere.

Yeon-woo’s determination might be seen as delusion, but Jeong-woo knew his

brother would be able to do it. His brother had always been like that. With this,
Jeong-woo could finally fall into a peaceful slumber. His spirit body began to fade,
and letters leaked out as sentences. This time, they didn’t gush out uncontrollably,
but slid out steadily and in order as they narrated the contents of the diary.

『Until then.』 He smiled, his body growing dim. 『I’ll be waiting here.』

Swoosh! With those words, Jeong-woo disappeared into light. The letters danced
around Yeon-woo before they were sucked into the pocket watch.

Yeon-woo wordlessly rubbed the letters J. W. CAH engraved on the back of the pocket
watch and silently let his head fall.

Drip. Drip. The ground grew wet with rain that came falling from somewhere.
On the fiftieth floor, the gate of the Dragon Temple, passersby stopped to get out of
the path of a large group of people.

“They’re…”

“Yeah. The Demon Beauty Castle. They’ve made it all the way here, I guess.”

The members of the group wore different styles of armor and outfits which didn’t
have a unifying element. At first glance, their frowning faces and intensely
murderous aura made them look like a local gang that might brandish their swords
immediately if anyone approached them without permission.

Although many looked at them with curiosity, none could muster up the courage to
approach. In the last few months, they had grown infamous in the Tower. Their
accomplishments were amazing:

The decimation of the clan Moonlit Night Shadow, the defeat of the ranker Nine
Blame, the destruction of the hidden dungeon Six Beast Cave, the testing of demonic
swords, and more.

Not only were they overwhelmingly successful in clearing highly difficult quests,
they also crushed all the clans and rankers that fought them. They didn’t have an
established hierarchy, and so they were acknowledged as a whole. They were already
marked as one of the new rising clans replacing the fallen Triton and Necropolis.

The storm they brought shook the lower floors and drew immediate attention.
However, one of them stood out from among the rest, their leader and core, Demon
Beauty Edora. She had long, light purple hair and a lamb’s horn that extended out
from one of her temples. She wore her signature sword, Divine Evil,within her
comfortable martial arts uniform.

She had a fancy debut from the Tutorial, as a player from the One-horned tribe’s
Cheongram family, and now that she had proven her abilities on many occasions, she
was revered as an outstanding warrior. She swung Divine Evil unhesitatingly as
though she were dancing, and her cold and cruel face was beautiful, which was the
reason she had been given the nickname “Demon Beauty”.

Some said she was the talent who would lead a new generation of the One-horned
tribe after the Blood-Red Philosopher and the Martial King. Others said she was the
only player who could keep the Hoarder in check. But no matter what they said, the
rivals of the One-horned tribe always groaned, evidence of the expectations that
everyone had of her.

When news of her arrival on the fiftieth floor spread, the expectations and gawking
grew. The fiftieth floor, the Dragon Temple, was the place that separated rankers
from ordinary players. It was where many skilled people had tried to rise to the
challenge only to leave in despair.

Edora had finally arrived at the stage commonly known as the “Wailing Wall”. The
spectators weren’t concerned about whether Edora would pass or not, they already
assumed she was ranker-level or beyond. However, they were curious how Edora
would clear the Dragon Temple since it was deemed the most monstrous of all the
stages players would have conquered so far.

Everyone knew the basics of the trial, but each player went through an
individualized test, which was why some players who appeared capable of clearing
the floor ended up failing, while others were lucky enough to pass and grow to their
current status.

‘This is so annoying.’ But Edora just felt sick and tired of the gazes. The attention
made her feel uncomfortable. The Tower was for individuals who wanted to train
their abilities and get to a higher peak. It was inevitable that they would be very
individualistic. For many, even twenty-four hours wasn’t enough for training.

Edora had grown up with this tenet, just like her father and the members of her
tribe. She had spent her life seeing them live up to it, and she believed that it was the
correct attitude to take when it came to climbing the Tower. But what was this?

Even though the other players seemed like heavyweights and big shots in the planet
or world they came from, they were busy cheering her on fanatically. It was as
though they’d forgotten themselves and only felt vicarious satisfaction through a
rookie like her whom they thought would challenge the beings currently in power.
Not to mention, the number of hyenas who hoped for her crumbs was increasing. At
first, she’d chased away all of the sycophants and followers around her, but after a
while, it had become too much of a hassle, and she just left them alone as long as
they didn’t get in her face.

Soon, her followers increased in number and began creating a system among
themselves. She’d been flabbergasted to hear the name they came up with, Demon
Beauty Castle, but because she didn’t want to waste any time on them, she let them
be. All she had to do was swing her sword if they acted out.

The only thing that concerned her right now was the Wailing Wall.

“I want you to become my wings.” Yeon-woo had told her this before he left the tribe,
and it was the force that kept her moving. He was a bad guy whose whereabouts
were unknown, but she believed that he was watching her from somewhere. She
slowly pulled Divine Evil from its sheath. Kashing. She faced a huge temple door.

[The trial is beginning.]

***

『Death to the trespasser!』 Above a river of lava, the demonic beast Plucrat spread
his paper-thin black wings and roared, releasing an intense wave that shook
mountains.

[A hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’, Gae Bulg, is being released.]

[Folklore: Seawater Homing]

Swish. Attached to the Ruyi Bang, Vigrid flew straight towards Plucrat’s heart. Gae
Bulg was the latest of its hidden names to be released. It was a spear made of a sea
monster’s bones that had passed from hero to hero until it reached one named
Cuchulainn.

It never missed its target, no matter where it was hurled from. Dozens of thorns rose
in its wake to further injure the enemy. When Yeon-woo first released the name of
Gae Bulg, he’d been a little puzzled since Vigrid was a sword, but he realized that a
blade could become a spearhead, and since he normally combined the Ruyi Bang and
Vigrid anyway, it wasn’t such a strange thing, after all. Since Gae Bulg gained fame as
a spear, the destructiveness of the Ruyi Bang and Vigrid together was amplified.
Boom!

『Krugh!』 Spiky thorns popped up from Plucrat’s chest as Gae Bulg pierced
through his back and groin. Plucrat thrashed around in pain and screamed. However,
the sounds were quickly muffled as shadows emerged from the spiky thorns and
consumed his body.

「Something to eat.」

「More strength for my master… 」

The Spirit Guai dashed towards Plucrat, trying to take bigger bites because they
hadn’t had a tasty meal since Tartarus. Plucrat stumbled in front of the marsh of
shadows and fell over. The hidden boss of the thirty-ninth floor, whom many players
failed to subdue, was dead.

[All trials have been completed.]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily accomplished. Additional karma
will be provided.]

[You have acquired 100,000 karma.]

[You have acquired an additional 200,000 karma.]

[Health and magic power are recovering.]

[All injuries are being healed.]

[All gods of death marvel at you.]

[All demons of death nod with satisfaction.]

[Many gods observe you with watchful eyes.]

[Many demons reveal their greed for you.]

…
[Your karma is being calculated.]

[You have set a new record on this floor. Will you register your name in the Hall of
Fame?]

[You have refused to register your name.]

[Your record has been deeply engraved in the Tower. You can register your name
whenever you wish.]

[Will you move to the next floor?]

“He’s ranked first on this stage too. His speed is amazing.” Brahm smiled wryly as he
watched Yeon-woo from afar.

Galliard crossed his arms and nodded. “He can’t seem to help it. He’s gathering all
the hidden pieces that even we didn’t know about. And no matter how hard the trial
of the floor is, it’s too easy for him.”

Until even the sixtieth floor, no stage would be as dangerous as Tartarus, not even
the fiftieth. In fact, considering what Yeon-woo had gone through, it was likely that
he would find even those floors easy too. No player had ever dealt with the
Gigantomachia, Mother Earth, and Allforone one after the other—perhaps only the
Nine Kings would have experienced something similar.

“He’s probably plenty anxious. We don’t know everything, but he’s probably holding
it in as best as he can right now.” Galliard remembered Yeon-woo slowly returning
with the pocket watch in his hands, mask tight on his face, when they were still on
the thirty-sixth floor. Jeong-woo hadn’t been there. Yeon-woo didn’t explain, but it
wasn’t hard to guess what had happened.

Jeong-woo was an unstable vestige body that could fall apart at any moment, and if
not for the pocket watch, it would have been impossible for him to exist. Jeong-woo
had probably realized this and fallen in a deep sleep inside the pocket watch in
hopes of better days in the future.

They could tell what Yeon-woo was aiming for: complete resurrection. He wanted to
perform a miracle that existed only in legends, something that even transcendents
couldn’t achieve.

In order to do that, he needed to climb the floors as quickly as possible. However,

there were still too many obstacles in Yeon-woo’s way, and he needed a lot of time to
get rid of them and go higher.

It seemed like Yeon-woo was aware of this, and he steadily moved forward. He was
clearing the floors faster than expected. It seemed like they’d just left the thirty-sixth
floor, and here they were already on the thirty-ninth floor getting ready to ascend to
the fortieth.

Still, because he was human, he couldn’t suppress his anxiety perfectly. Yeon-woo
was always cold-blooded and dispassionate, but when came things related to Jeong-
woo, he couldn’t hide his emotions. It made them pity him.

“If the vigor is still in the pocket watch, where’s the spirit?”

“I wonder.”

As they watched Yeon-woo sympathetically, Brahm and Galliard couldn’t stop

turning the question over. An existence was a combination of vigor and spirit. If
Jeong-woo’s vigor remained as a vestige in the pocket watch, then where was his
spirit, his actual soul?

“What’s for sure is that Jeong-woo didn’t leave his vestige in the pocket watch simply
to create a diary.” Brahm wrinkled his forehead, muttering to himself. The primary
reason he’d left the diary behind was to use the special benefit for Yeon-woo’s quick
growth, but could that be the only reason? Brahm thought not.

The Jeong-woo he’d known was innocent but not stupid. He was a clever guy. ‘There
wouldn’t be a point in the soul returning on its own, so did he store the memories
and ego separately?’ The thought that it might not be the end kept nagging at him.
No, it couldn’t be. In the worst case scenario… ‘It’s possible that the soul ceased to
exist after repeating the special benefit so many times, and only the memories were
left behind… ’

Brahm swallowed at the thought. ‘We have to hope that’s not it.’ It would be too sad
of an outcome if it were. All he could hope for was that some other arrangement had
been made.
“You’re still the Brahma of creation, but you don’t know?”

“I’ve lost my divinity, and my body doesn’t have any holiness either. It’s been a long
time since I’ve abandoned my omniscience and powers, so what more could I
know?” Brahm snorted at Galliard and dismissed the question.

Just then, a new message popped up.

[You are being transported to the 40th floor.]

The subjugation of the floors was continuing without rest.

[This is the 42nd floor, the gate of Kyukjaeng.]

[The trial of the 42nd floor is beginning.]

[Trial: In the past, battlefields were the only stage where warriors could prove
themselves. They had to show their courage, unbending spirit, leadership charisma,
and outstanding physical abilities. Aside from these, there are also other things that
can be demonstrated in the battlefield: strategy and luck.

On the battlefield, you must have the ability to rationally assess the forces of your
base, a resourceful brain to turn the tides in your favor, and luck to ensure your plan
goes smoothly.

There are waiting areas so that you and 99 other players can observe each other. In
front of you will be 4 different paths: red, blue, black, and white.

Choose one, and create a team for your path to compete in a randomly-assigned
environment.

The rules of the competition are as follows:

1. Once chosen, the team members cannot be changed.

2. Each team is given five skeleton insignias and one team flag.

3. A skeleton insignia represents a debuff. The more insignias a team has, the more
powerful the debuff grows. This means that teams must transfer their insignias to
other teams.

4. If you steal the flag of another team, you will exchange team colors and number of
insignias.

5. Every 24 hours, each team’s insignias will be counted. The team with the most
insignias will lose.

6. The competition will run over for 5 days, and the team with the highest score will
be the victor.]

The trials of the floors numbered in the thirties focused on solo playing to help
players grow their individual strengths, but the trials of the floors numbered in the
forties involved random teamwork. Of those floors, the forty-second was famous for
having the most complicated rules. A maximum number of 100 players would be
divided into teams of four. They had to get rid of as many skeleton insignias as
possible so that they could avoid the debuffs. A team that lost once would likely lose
again.

Also, forming a team in the first place required great tactical skills. Since you couldn’t
replace team members, if you had a small or weak team, you would fail the round.
Players often already formed teams even before entering the forty-second floor,
sometimes recruiting mercenaries or using other devious methods.

With that said, weaker teams didn’t always lose. Since teams could exchange colors,
sometimes, all a team had to do was steal a flag, and they would end up with the
other team’s insignias instead. However, there was no way to know how many
skeleton insignias other teams had. One could only observe and judge carefully.
Some teams even pretended that they only had a few insignias when in fact, they had
the most, while those who had a lot of insignias pretended that they only had a few,
and so on. At times, teams could work together or betray each other.

The word “kyukjaeng” was the word for striking a kkwaenggwari, a small flat gong. It
was an appropriate name for the stage.

However, this round had a new variable that could even be considered a hurdle.

“What? The Hoarder is here? Why? Shouldn’t he be on a higher floor? Did he come to
massacre civilians?”

“Have you forgotten that the Hoarder still hasn’t reached the fiftieth floor?”

“Oh right! Damn it!”

“I thought he was dead because there was no word from him for a while, but he had
to come this time.”
“What should we do?”

“Do we have any other option…”

After the ruckus settled, the participants began to furiously guess which path the
Hoarder picked.

“Of course, we have to find the team the Hoarder’s in.”

The Hoarder had been missing in action for the last few months, but that didn’t mean
his reputation had disappeared. Although rankers still believed that his abilities
were overstated, the players on the lower floors were sure of his overwhelming
power. The stories about his destruction of the alliance between clans that included
the Iron Lion Clan on the twentieth floor still made their rounds.

Obviously, the players desperately wanted to be on the same team as the Hoarder, as
it would be the best way to clear the complicated forty-second floor. However,
opinions about the path he chose were divided, and there were no clues to help the
players guess. Most of them had to depend on their luck or sixth sense.

The player Willump also wanted to be on the same team as the Hoarder, and he had
one advantage: ‘I’m not like those blind fools.’ Willump smirked at the other players
in their waiting spaces, deep in thought. His trait was Star of Fate, which meant that
every decision he made resulted in something even better than expected. Even if he
was in a terrible situation, he always managed to get out alive.

It was thanks to this trait that Willump managed to climb the floors with a score that
higher than someone with his skills would have. Now, he was a skilled player thanks
to his luck.

Willump quietly pulled out two small dice before beginning the trial.

〈Dice of Fate〉

It was a skill based on his trait, and a tool that blessed his fate. His comrades had
grumbled about it, saying the game was rigged, but Willump believed that the dice
would lead him to luck again and choose the Hoarder’s path.

‘Go!’ Willump rolled the dice. He already had set rules pertaining to the colors. Since
the total of the two dice was twelve, then anything below three was red, four to six
was blue, seven to nine was white, and ten to twelve was black. The dice stopped
rolling and settled on six and six. Twelve.

“Looks like I need to choose black. Good!” Willump retrieved his dice and shouted
happily. It was rare for numbers this neat to come out. This meant that his choice
was highly likely to be correct. Without any hesitation, he walked toward the black
flag. It was dark all around him, and all he could see was a narrow, twisted path.

As he walked further, something large suddenly appeared in the middle of the path.
‘What is that?’

It had a humanoid shape but looked more like a bunch of shadows. It held a Sword
Breaker as big as his body and emanated an ominous energy. Was there such a
creature on the forty-second floor? Willump thought of the information he’d heard
about the trial, but he didn’t recall anything about this creature.

Just then, a voice rang out from the shadowy figure. 「Stop.」 It was so powerful
that the atmosphere shook.

Willump paused, knowing that he’d be in danger if he continued moving.

「Sorry, but you can’t go further than this. Our temperamental king says that he
doesn’t want to deal with lowly things. He’s a super bad guy, huh?」

Willump had the sensation that the shadow was smiling mischievously. Even so, his
feet didn’t move from the ground. He felt like his head would be dislocated from his
shoulders if he ignored the shadow. It wasn’t advice; it was a warning.

Only then did Willump remember the Hoarder’s subordinates. Each of them was a
monster that could easily eat most players. That meant that the Hoarder had indeed
chosen the black path, but what was he trying to do? Willump was curious, but he
lacked the courage to check.

***

“Do you think you can treat Doyle?” In the area for the black team, Yeon-woo sat
speaking with Brahm. In order to hoard the score, he had placed Shanon at the
entrance so no one else could enter. The more disadvantaged the team, the greater
the bonus points—which was his aim.
Yeon-woo was planning on gathering as many skeleton insignias as possible. He’d be
debuffed, but there was a hidden piece he could gain from the process. Then at the
last minute, all he had to do was take the flag of some guys he didn’t like.

As if he could read Yeon-woo’s plan, Brahm clucked his tongue before nodding in
response to his question. “I think it’s possible. I’ll have to take a closer look, but it
hasn’t been that long since he established a channel with Persephone. If the syncing
has dropped a bit, it’ll work.”

As Yeon-woo cleared the stages, his companions scattered temporarily throughout

the Tower. Kahn and Victoria took Doyle to Anastasia to look for a way to sever the
Channel with Persephone, and Creutz left to visit the headquarters of the Regiment.
Galliard helped Henova return to the smithy.

Later, Yeon-woo heard that Anastasia had been furious when Victoria brought Doyle
to her. She could barely part with the Adamantine Nova, and now, as soon as her
disciple returned, she was requesting Anastasia to save some guy she’d never met
her entire life. She must have been quite astonished.

But it wasn’t easy to cut the Channel of a transcendent, and they needed to bend
some rules to accomplish it. They ended up choosing Anastasia’s charms, since the
charms’ foundation borrowed strength from a great being. They thought this meant
that it would be possible to change the direction of the Channel, and with a formerly
divine being like Brahm helping, they thought they would be able to pull it off.

Yeon-woo had been worried that it would be difficult to cut the Channel because it
was with Persephone, Mother Earth’s Apostle, but since Doyle had already severed a
Channel with the Heavenly Demon before, it was at least possible. However, it wasn’t
without its challenges. “The problem is finding a Channel to replace it.” Doyle’s
Channel couldn’t be replaced with just anyone. “We’ll have to discuss that further.”

“Indeed. Still, we have some time. We can take it relatively slow. Also…” Brahm
delivered news about the rest of the companions with a mischievous smile. “I have
some amusing news.”

Amusing news? Yeon-woo looked at Brahm with expectant eyes.

“It looks like the seeds you planted some time ago are beginning to sprout. The
situation is developing in a very interesting manner.”
In that moment, Yeon-woo’s eyes flashed behind his mask as he realized that Brahm
was referring to: the Blood Land, the Devil Army, White Dragon, and Black Dragon.
The magic alliance of the Magic Towers, and the battles within the mercenary
alliance under Iron Lion. With what was going on in Tartarus, the Elohim might be
participating, too.

“It’s only the beginning, but the Blood Land allied itself with Black Dragon to attack
White Dragon.”

Yeon-woo’s expression changed under his mask. He’d believed that there wouldn’t be
any major fights because the clans involved were so large, but it seemed like the
situation was deteriorating fast. Was the Gluttony Emperor just greedy, or could
there be some variable he hadn’t predicted? Whatever it was, things were
progressing faster than he’d expected. “When did it start?”

“I’ll have to look into it, but it seems like it hasn’t been that long. There have been
minor clashes, but no hints about a large battle. It was like they were testing the
waters. But…” Brahm’s eyes filled with amusement. “With Allforone’s appearance,
things did a one-eighty.”

Yeon-woo gave him a questioning look.

“The guys in the large clans seem to have interpreted Allforone’s movements as a
sign. Since there was always a ruckus in the past whenever he moved, they probably
thought that something big would happen again.”

Yeon-woo gripped his forehead. It turned out that he’d been the one to create the
unexpected variable by forcing Allforone’s descent.

“White Dragon is trying to attain the Summer Queen’s goal, and believing that
something happened to Allforone, they tried to attack the seventy-seventh floor.
Black Dragon probably sneaked up behind them to attack. The Blood Land jumped in
for fun.” Brahm was basically saying that Black Dragon and the Blood Land had allied
together to ambush White Dragon as they moved to take the seventy-seventh floor.

It was only the beginning, but because the clashes had begun, multiples disturbances
were bursting throughout the Tower.

‘Did they just go with their gut? It looks like the Gluttony Emperor finally did
something big.’ The Gluttony Emperor had once proposed an alliance with Yeon-woo
to bring in the One-horned tribe and Fantasy Regiment. It seemed that he was ready
to start a war even before he received Yeon-woo’s reply, and it appeared he firmly
believed that Yeon-woo was on his side.

“But the problem is…” Brahm clucked his tongue. “They’re fighting among
themselves, but Black Dragon is putting the Blood Land forward and showing
attempts to get back out.”

Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes. “So the Blood Land might end up taking responsibility
for all of it alone.”

“Yes. Green Dragon also said they’d help Black Dragon but got cold feet when the
battle began. As such, the current situation is that—”

“The Blood Land is being beaten up by White Dragon?”

“Correct.”

Yeon-woo frowned and tsked. Even though White Dragon was a small group, the
Summer Queen’s official successor, Waltz the Spring Queen, was leading them. She
was skilled enough to be one of the more powerful Nine Kings, and it would be
impossible for the Gluttony Emperor to even dream of besting her.

Yeon-woo could already see the Blood Land losing horribly. ‘But that can’t happen.’
He didn’t mind if the Blood Land collapsed, but not as pathetically as this. He wanted
the fires to spread and the chaos to swallow up the entire Tower. Every force had to
be sucked in it and destroyed. “We’ll have to help him.”

Yeon-woo assumed the Blood Land was probably desperately looking for him since
they needed any help they could get. Also, Yeon-woo believed he had the strength to
shake the gameboard up even more. After all, he had achieved many things in
Tartarus: the wings of death and fight, leadership of Dis Pluto, the greedy Spirit Guai,
and the increasingly profound power of the Black King. With his companions added
to the mix, they wouldn’t fall short of other large clans.

He could create anarchy. Of course, he had to hide his full power before he revealed
his identity, but he could shake things up. It wouldn’t be too difficult to take care of
the Blood Land and the Gluttony Emperor after he fanned the flames.

“You’ve decided.”
“I don’t want Jeong-woo to see trash when he opens his eyes again. I should clean
everything up this time.”

Brahm nodded and grinned. “That’s a good decision, and there’s a perfect
opportunity for that.”

Yeon-woo looked at Brahm questioningly. “Do you remember the Iron Lion Clan and
the Magic Towers? As payback, they want to send a bunch of killers to the forty-
second floor.”
“The task you and the second unit have to complete is simple. While the Head
Cutters try to eliminate the Hoarder, you need to comprehend his full power.” The co-
captain of the Iron Lion Clan pushed back his hair as he recalled the words that their
leader, Iron Lion Ivan, had said. After their total defeat on the Five Mountains of
Penances, the Iron Lion Clan’s reputation as a mercenary guild had been damaged. It
resulted in some disturbances within their order, and the other mercenary guilds
they had enjoyed close relationships with began to distance themselves. Some even
tried to take over the Iron Lion Clan’s spot.

However, Ivan wouldn’t accept this, and believing that it was a good opportunity to
get rid of trash, he pulled out his own sword. Although the losses were great, the
mercenary world grew more organized, and Ivan proceeded to create a mercenary
alliance.

His explanation was that the atmosphere of the Tower had grown abnormal, and so
the mercenaries needed to unite. But unless you were a fool, it was obvious whom
Ivan was targeting.

‘Will the captain’s plan to resist the Hoarder and those helping him work?’ Jonathan
didn’t believe it was a good decision to be at odds with the Hoarder.

A mercenary needed to live as a mercenary. If they weren’t free to do as they wished

and forced into doing things, then what was the point? Ivan was going against the
entire concept that made being a mercenary an attractive job. It might be because he
wanted to retrieve his son or recover his hurt pride. However, considering the
Hoarder’s abilities, as well as the abilities of his companions and protectors, things
wouldn’t be resolved easily.

Ivan knew this well, so he sent his co-captain to investigate the Hoarder’s power
when he reappeared in the Tower after a year.

‘What a headache.’ Jonathan was rubbing his temples when about ten or so players
walked towards him.
“Haha. The weather is quite nice. Isn’t it perfect weather to slice someone’s throat?
Haha. All forces have gathered.” Each of them exuded a fierce aura, and the one
leading them had the eyes of a maniac.

The group of ten or so blood brothers were Head Cutters, who were well-known
among rankers. They had a habit of cutting off the heads of their targets and using
them for decoration. They were cruel, and because they had many enemies, they
lived in the shadows. However, they received many jobs because of their capabilities.

Now, they were moving according to Ivan’s request. As they’d discussed previously,
they all chose the white team in the forty-second trial.

Jonathan was displeased by their swaggering attitudes, but he didn’t make a fuss
over it. If they were the kind of people who cared, they wouldn’t have accepted a
suicidal job to hunt down the Hoarder.

“Did you find where the Hoarder is?”

“Heehee. There wasn’t any need.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a shadow monster blocking the path to the black team. What else would
that mean?”

Jonathan’s eyes flashed. “He’s taking a whole team for himself?”

"Bingo! Our greedy target is being greedy again. Although it’s easy to choke if you
bite off more than what you can swallow. Heehee.”

They were busy laughing among themselves since that meant Yeon-woo would be
taking on the debuff from the insignias on his own. In contrast, the white team had a
total of sixty people, including the Head Cutters, other hired killers, and the second
unit of Iron Lion. The debuff was spread thinly through them, which meant that the
Hoarder stood no chance.

They already had the advantage of numbers, and if the Hoarder wanted to debuff his
own skills, they welcomed it heartily. It seemed like he was planning to die.

However, Jonathan suddenly felt anxious. ‘What’s his plan? Why is he doing this to
himself?’ he rubbed his right arm with a grimace. The section that the Hoarder had
sliced off still hurt. He knew that the Hoarder wouldn't purposefully weaken himself
without something up his sleeve. He was as sly as a snake.

However, the Head Cutter and the other killers were busy giggling as if they already
caught the Hoarder, ignoring Jonathan’s worries.

“I hope the stage trial starts soon.”

“I’ve heard so many rumors about the Hoarder, I wonder what he’s really like? He
probably makes the same sounds as other bastards when his throat is cut.”

“What sound should we force him to make? Keekeekee!”

[The team selection time is nearly over. Please finalize your decisions.]

[00:01:00]

[00:00:59_99]

However, at least they seemed to be taking their job seriously, because as soon as the
countdown began, they bustled around. The Head Cutters got into their usual
hunting positions and the other killers checked their weapons. The ones who dealt
with poison confirmed their flasks, and the assassins used cloaking skills to hide
their presences.

[00:00:24_56]

After thirty seconds passed, the darkness around them began to lighten, they soon
saw the bright stage. It was a vast forest, but the members of the white team found
that there were different types of terrain contained within it.

The forty-second stage had four territories with three large paths and twelve smaller
ones that intertwined together intricately. There were canyons, fields, marshes, and
cliffs spread throughout the territories, and with each round, the terrain changed
randomly.

Because of this, it was imperative for players to learn the terrain as soon as the
mission began. By doing so, you could ambush other teams using shortcuts or find
places to hide.

Additionally, there were hidden pieces that helped in battle. This was where
Pathfinders and Junglers were crucial. The mercenaries of the second unit who were
assigned to be Pathfinders slowly stepped forward. A few of them had Elven
ancestry, and they were highly skilled, as to be expected of people personally chosen
by Ivan.

[00:00:19_61]

“Before we start, I have some words to say.”

The Head Cutters stopped scanning the terrain beyond the darkness and turned to
Jonathan with annoyed expressions. It wasn’t the first time that Jonathan had gotten
on their nerves with his useless nagging.

“We don’t know how the Hoarder will appear, so be—”

“Look here, co-captain.”

[00:00:10_33]

The leader of the Head Cutters, Executioner of Ions Paratane, smiled coldly. “After we
take a job, it’s entirely up to us how we do things. It’s not your place to give us
orders. I know what you’re worried about, so just sit there and watch.”

Jonathan pressed his lips together. His angry subordinates tried to step in, but
Jonathan raised his hand and shook his head.

[00:00:6_10]

Paratane thought Jonatane was just like a dog with a tail between its legs. He turned
to his blood brothers and giggled. “Iron Lion, Iron Lion. They used to be all the rage,
but looks like they’re toothless now. Scaredy cats. Tsk!”

[00:00:3_98]

“It’s natural for the old generation to be replaced by the new, isn’t it?”
“Haha! Should I try to take the throne of the mercenary king?”

[00:00:2_10]

“If it’s you, definitely. Why don’t we cut the Hoarder’s head off and carry it around as
an accessory? We can even create a mercenary guild while we’re at it.”

“Should we?”

‘Damned fools.’ Jonathan glowered at them.

[00:00:1_59]

“Well, we can take our time to consider things slowly.”

The countdown was nearing zero, and the darkness was almost completely gone.

[00:00:00_02]

[00:00:00_01]

[00:00:00]

[The countdown has finished.]

[Players who haven’t chosen a team will be randomly assigned to one.]

[The trial is beginning.]

[May you be victorious.]

“All right, shall we go slice—!” Just as Paratane stepped forward confidently, his head
was cut off. Swish. It rolled on the grund.

“C-Captain…?” The Head Cutters who had been speaking boisterously with Paratane
just moments earlier didn’t realize what had just happened and stood there blankly.
Then, when Paratane’s blood spurted on their faces, they quickly tried to retreat.

However the gust of wind that came from a swinging sword blew their way, and their
heads fell to the ground one by one. The killers who were farther away tried to
escape, but they met with the same end.

“Wh-what is this…!”

“Let go! I said let go!”

“Ugh! Mmm!”

Dark forms stretched out of the shadows to hold down the killers, the Spirit Guai’s
eyes looking as though they were curved in happiness.

“Let go! Please!”

The players struggled to push the shadows away, but the Spirit Guai just tightened
their hold and sucked the players into the shadows.

「You should know what you’re going up against, you miserable idiots.」 Space
opened and Hanryeong appeared with ferocious eyes. He growled as he held his
sword. 「Eat them all.」

At his command, the shadows rose like a wave and covered the white team.

***

It wasn’t just the white team’s territory that was in uproar.

“Aaack!”

“Faust! How is a Lich using Faust’s magic…!”

“Run away! Run away!”

“My magic! It’s not working! Aaack!”

Magicians dispatched from the magic alliance of the five Magic Towers had joined a
different team as war mages. Among the different fields of magic were those that
specialized in battle magic, and war mages were renowned for their prowess.

The magic alliance had given them a remarkable amount of artifacts and ordered
them to bring the Hoarder back. But as soon as the trial began, they were powerless
to resist the sudden attack. No matter how much they tried to set up barriers or
resist, the magic power in their bodies didn’t budge. They learned why when it was
too late: a magic circle had been set up high in the sky. It was Evil Circle, the barrier
that hobbled the magic power of those who were inside its area.

Faust, whom all magicians revered, had invented it, but the barrier had disappeared
along with him. And yet it had mysteriously appeared once more.

Over the barrier, Inferno Sight looked down at them, and as soon as the magicians
locked eyes with the owner of Inferno Sight, they stiffened, paralyzed like mice in
front of a cat.

The war mages realized their fates had already been decided even before the trial
had started. The owner of those eyes had known their location and prepared a trap
for them in advance. They had no way to avoid the magic attacks that came at them
from the other magic squares that popped up.

Even if they tried to escape, there was no way around the storm of shadows and
souls, and the hand of death tightened around their necks.

「Impertinent… dimwits.」 Boo raised the output of his magic power to sweep away
all the fools that dared to injure his master. After the Demonism left, he lost his
memories and identity as Faust, but he still retained some of the less significant
memories. The Lawless Book whirled quickly.

Eeeeee. There was a shrill cry as the Spirit Guai dashed among the magicians and
took their skeleton insignias.

[Hundun watches the battlefield.]

***

[You have collected ‘Skeleton Insignia × 5’ from the white team.]

[The debuff is being applied.]

[You have collected ‘Skeleton Insignia × 5’ from the blue team.]

[The debuff is being applied.]

[The power ‘Combat Instinct’ has successfully relieved the debuffs.]

Yeon-woo felt his body grow heavier, but the power he received from Ares managed
to push most of it away. Combat Instinct had an outstanding ability to remove
anything that interrupted his ability to participate in battle.

However, he left the battlefield to his subordinates, and was greeting another visitor.
“Welcome.”

“It’s been a while… no, I suppose I should be more respectful now, as you are His
Majesty’s close friend. Greetings, Cain.”

The prime minister of the Blood Land, Monstrous Duke Tuan Tien, extended his
hand with a smile.
Yeon-woo looked at his hand and took it wordlessly. Something flashed in Duke Tuan
Tien’s eyes. ‘This is… ’ He truthfully hadn’t been expecting much on the way to the
forty-second floor. Although it wasn’t publicly known, the Blood Land was facing a
grim situation as White Dragon steadily escalated against them.

White Dragon was stronger than expected, and their leader, the Spring Queen, was
monstrous. The Gluttony Emperor had immediately tucked his tail between his legs
after realizing their predicament, and their allies were leaving one by one.

No matter how fiercely the Blood Land tried to resist, White Dragon’s attacks took
up their attention, and they couldn’t look elsewhere. Black Dragon, who was now
observing the situation, was a problem too.

Then, they happened to hear that the Hoarder had finally reappeared. The Blood
Land suspected he had gone into hiding out of fear when the war began, so they
were displeased. However, they needed any help they could get. Normally, they
would have sent a messenger who was either a count or viscount, but the situation
was so urgent that Duke Tuan Tien had come himself.

However, once he met the Hoarder, his negative thoughts began to change. The
Hoarder’s power was greater than he’d expected. He heard that the Hoarder had
been victorious in the fight on the Five Mountains of Penances that involved many
rankers, mercenaries, Necropolis, and others.

Still, because it had happened on the lower floors, he’d disregarded it, thinking that
it was simply an embellished tale. Now that he could see the Hoarder’s ability with
his own eyes, he realized how wrong he had been.

The Hoarder’s subordinates alone were decimating the magic alliance’s war mages
and the Head Cutters.

‘If he’s at this level now… he’ll be a Lord soon. Or has he already reached it? He might
become like the Vampiric Lord someday.’
The Vampiric Lord Bathory, to whom the Summer Queen had been compared, had
nearly ruled the Tower. She sucked out the life of anything that touched her and
could take familiars just by blowing her breath into them. Because of this, death
always followed the Vampiric Lord, and her familiars could create mountains.

Whenever a skilled player became her familiar, her rivals were on edge. No matter
how much they cut down her forces, she replenished them easily. Her comrade of
yesterday could be her enemy the following day.

Finally, an alliance of clans was so threatened by her that they chased her to her
region in the Tutorial to stab her to death. However, the horror of the Vampiric Lord
still lingered in the Blood Land.

Duke Tuan Tien thought Yeon-woo would one day reach the level of the Vampiric
Lord since he was skilled enough to be one of the Martial King’s disciples, and his
own familiars were fearless.

‘From what I can tell, he’s at the level of a count or marquis. With the power of his
familiars, he might even be a duke. Good. I have to get him on our side.’ Yeon-woo
had all the requirements to jump into battle right away. In the future, he would grow
even stronger.

As he completed his calculations, Duke Tuan Tien put on a bright expression and
gave the skeleton insignias he’d collected to Yeon-woo. “It seems like you need this;
I’ll give them to you.”

“I accept them gratefully.”

[You have collected ‘Skeleton Insignia × 5’ from the red team.]

[You have successfully collected all skeleton insignias.]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily accomplished. Additional karma
will be provided.]

[You have acquired 50,000 karma.]

[You have acquired an additional 30,000 karma.]

Duke Tuan Tien had been on the red team, and Yeon-woo didn’t ask how he managed
to gather all the insignias. The Blood Land members weren’t one to get things done
with words.

“Actually, I should have brought a nicer gift since you are His Majesty’s friend, but
because the situation is urgent, I hope you forgive me for this rudeness.” Duke Tuan
Tian bowed courteously as though he were truly sincere. His etiquette was
impeccable. Players who knew the Blood Land would have been shocked to see him.
Members of the Blood Land were known for being elitist, and it was unimaginable
that they would have such respectful attitudes to outsiders.

Yeon-woo’s lips were twisted in a smirk as he watched. ‘They must be under a lot of
pressure.’ He’d been planning on interfering in the battlefield anyway, but if they
wanted to come like this, he was ready to welcome them with open arms. ‘However, I
don’t need to give in easily.’ His smirk deepend. ‘I have to get what I can.’

His eyes flashed behind his mask. ‘And I should reset the game to my taste.’ He didn’t
plan on just dominating the Blood Land and White Dragon. Yeon-woo had a bigger
picture in mind. He wanted to create a deep pit where all forces in the Tower would
fall in.

Duke Tuan Tien was the right person to help him get this done. Since the duke
seemed to have something on his mind, all Yeon-woo had to do was toss him the bait.

「Whew, another victim for the conman has shown up. That temperamental… 」
Shanon was blabbing about something, but like always, Yeon-woo ignored him.

“As I promised, I’ll help you to the best of my abilities.”

Duke Tuan Tien’s expression grew even brighter, but then it changed after Yeon-
woo’s following words.

“But as you can see, I’m not in an easy situation.”

“Ah.”

Yeon-woo was still on the forty-second floor, but the battlefield of the large clans was
on the sixtieth and even higher. It was natural for them to stay on the upper floors.
The battle between Red Dragon and the Cheonghwado that had occurred on the
eleventh floor was an anomaly. Duke Tuan Tien didn’t realize that it was a result of
Yeon-woo’s scheming, although he did think it was strange.
The Blood Land had assumed Yeon-woo was a ranker all this time. After all, who
would think he was a lower-floor player based on his accomplishments? However, it
was difficult to make him climb to the higher floors quickly. No matter how
outstanding he was, some trials simply required a lot of time. “I can help you until
the fiftieth floor. Our kingdom has a method of clearing floors, and we’ll support you
with anything you need.”

Yeon-woo’s smile deepened. ‘It’ll be a good chance to peek at their strategies and
plans.’

Each large clan had a secret method to clear the floors which revealed their
strategies and courses of action. They guarded this secret religiously since its
revelation would mean that everyone would find out about the clan’s main forces.
Yeon-woo would take it gladly if Duke Tuan Tien offered it.

He could lie back and clear the floors easily while studying the Blood Land’s
weaknesses. They didn’t know that they would be showing him their vulnerable
belly.

He could even find hidden pieces the Blood Land knew of that his brother hadn’t
been able to discover. ‘And the artifacts that come with them will be a plus. I’ll be
able to acquire the Skeleton King Tablet faster than I thought.’ The floors that
numbered in the forties contained the legacies of a being called the Skeleton King.

Not much is known about the Skeleton King—just a few legends that have passed
down. Some say he existed during the time of the Draconic species and disappeared
because of a curse from the last Giant king. There’s another rumor that he made a
contract with otherworldly gods.

However, the tablet that you can make after gathering all his legacies is very nice.

Jeong-woo had learned about it through the special benefit. Learning about the
Skeleton King could be very helpful. He had the folklore of the Giant species, which
was rare in the Tower, and had made connections to gods of other worlds.

‘Boo will use it well if he has it.’ Even though he didn't state it, after remembering his
identity as Faust, Boo desired to return to those days. Yeon-woo wanted to give Boo
the Skeleton King Tablet so Boo could grow.

The first things he needed in order to complete it were the skeleton insignias in his
hand. He had twenty in his hand now, and he had to collect all 100 of them over the
next five days while progressing with the trial. The other materials were also spread
around the other floors numbering in the forties. He’d been expecting that it would
take him some time to clear the stages as he collected the materials, but if he had
support, things would go faster.

Not realizing Yeon-woo’s dark thoughts, Duke Tuan Tien continued, “However, as
you’re aware of, our assistance won’t be possible on the fiftieth floor. Of course, I’m
not saying that you won’t be able to pass the Wailing Wall on your own, but we won’t
be able to help you then. We also don’t know how long it will take you to clear it.”

Yeon-woo nodded. As the duke said, the famous Wailing Wall of the fiftieth floor
wasn’t a place that just anyone could pass. It was the motherland of the Draconic
species that had become totally extinct with the death of the Summer Queen.

To current players, it was famous as a historic site of Draconic species. As befitted a

place that was left behind by the dragons, there were more unexplored places on
that floor than explored ones. There wasn’t a specific method to clear it, and each
player was given different trials, which made it even harder. Still, those who passed
through this floor were called “rankers” and acknowledged as true players.

However, to Yeon-woo, this place had another significance: ‘It’s where the ancient
dragon Kalatus has fallen asleep.’ He only heard his voice during the first Dragon
Body awakening, but Yeon-woo thought that he might still be alive. No one else could
have sent Jeong-woo to Earth. What was more, at some point, Yeon-woo had felt as
though a being from afar were watching him.

[Halphas looks at you with interest.]

[Hel watches you excitedly.]

[Osiris silently observes you.]

[Vimalacitra is awed by your dream of a big war.]

He was still receiving messages from the 5,000 or so gods and demons watching him,
but farther away, he could feel a faint Channel.

It was just a gaze that never revealed a name, but it felt familiar. It didn’t have the
same energy as the gods or demons, and Yeon-woo guessed that it was Kalatus or
some being related to him.

He was going to reach the fiftieth floor using any means possible. However, he would
face a problem when he reached it. ‘It’s not easy to enter the labyrinth under the
Dragon Temple.’

The Dragon Temple had a hidden stage that most people didn’t know about.

When I arrived at Kalatus’ summons, I felt like I was looking at a new world. The
mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor is probably something like this. Or the pyramids of
the pharaohs. That was how grand the haven of the great, ancient dragons was.

Jeong-woo wouldn’t have discovered it without Kalatus’ guidance either. It was his
grave, which was commonly called the Dragon Labyrinth.

Yeon-woo planned on opening this location, but he couldn’t do it without the

permission of its owner. That meant Yeon-woo had no other choice. ‘I’ll have to force
it open.’

As to be expected of a haven, the Dragon Labyrinth had several guards and traps
which Yeon-woo would have a hard time dealing with. The close one got to the
center, the more dangerous it would be. ‘But if I have chess pieces to move, that
changes everything.’

Yeon-woo was going to use the Blood Land to help him enter the Dragon Labyrinth.
He believed he could bait White Dragon and force the escaping Black Dragon and
Green Dragon there too. As self-proclaimed successors to dragons, they would find it
difficult to resist the haven of an ancient dragon. ‘It’s also attractive for the Devil
Army and the Elohim.’

Nobody knew what the ancient dragon might have left behind, so rankers would be
pulled in as well.

「So, in other words, you’re going to scam a bunch of clans and rankers to enter the
labyrinth, hm? Wow, our temperamental king never ceases to impress. Amazing.」
Shanon marveled.

‘Should I toss the bait now?’ Yeon-woo’s eyes glinted as he said out loud in a solemn
tone, “Since we’re on the subject, I’ve been planning on discussing this with the
Blood Land.”

“Hm?” Duke Tuan Tien’s eyes widened, and he cocked his head to the side.

“I discovered this on the 41st floor.”

Duke Tien looked over the object Yeon-woo held out to him. It was an old, faded map.
As he thought it over, he had a feeling that it seemed familiar. “Hm, this is…?”

“As you can see, it’s a map of the fiftieth floor.”

“That seems to be the case, but…”

“Yes. It’s probably different. This is the reason why I disappeared for nearly a year.”
Actually, it was because he had been in Tartarus, but there was no way the duke
would know that.

The duke looked more interested since this was an object that had grabbed the
Hoarder’s attention, and his eyes widened when Yeon-woo said, “I think this is the
map to the grave of the last dragon king, Kalatus.”

「King Temper tossed the bait, and you swallowed it!」 Shanon’s giggling voice rang
out.
“Wh-where did you find this?” Duke Tuan Tien burst out. He began to examine the
map again. It did seem old, and it laid out the Dragon Temple clearly. Since it had
details that most people didn’t know and included locations that the Blood Land had
found for themselves, he could tell that it wasn’t fake.

The map mentioned a gate that led to a secret location and marked out a path clearly.
It was an undiscovered hidden stage. If Yeon-woo were telling the truth… ’This is a
treasure that can’t be exchanged for a thousand gold pieces!’

The ancient dragon Kalatus was better known by another name: the last dragon
king, Kalatus. He had led the Draconic species during their era of prosperity, but he
hadn’t been able to discard his lingering attachment to transcendence. He was a king
of misfortune who challenged Allforone and led his species to ruin.

If they could find his grave, all the secrets of the Draconic species would be theirs.
The Blood Land would have the research, treasures, and even the weaknesses of the
dragons’ descendants in their hands. Not only would it turn the tide of battle, they’d
even be able to rebuild their kingdom, which they had been longing to do for
thousands of years.

「Damn, this sucker has great dedication.」Yeon-woo ignored Shanon’s teasing and
continued to speak in a low voice in case someone might overhear.

“I came across this map on the thirtieth floor.” While he was making the map, Yeon-
woo had come up with an explanation for its existence, and he smoothly relayed it to
the duke. He lied about receiving the map as a reward for a hidden quest, and after
completing related quests, he’d discovered that it was a map of the fiftieth floor.

He added that he’d found Kalatus’ grave, called the “Dragon Labyrinth”, as a reward.

“So that’s the reason why you went off the grid. I understand. But why are you asking
us for help? You can take it all for yourself.”
“It’s because I know it’s too much to work for one person.” Yeon-woo said that he had
felt the limits of doing quests on his own. The difficulty of the quests increased as he
continued, and because of the time constraints, he was at a loss. His explanations
seemed so sincere and desperate that Duke Tuan Tien looked completely
hoodwinked.

「Jeong-woo said that our temperamental king is super bad at acting. But why is that
idiot falling for it so easily? Is this what it means to be blinded by greed?」

「Stop with the nonsense and focus on your task. I’m almost done with the clean up
on my side.」 Hanryeong clucked his tongue from far away through their link, tired
of Shanon’s mumbling.

Shanon was still cheerful even though he’d been scolded. 「I’m watching over the
duke carefully, so don’t worry.」

In the meantime, Yeon-woo’s tall tale continued until it reached its end. “…and I’ve
come to ask the Blood Land for help, even though it may make me seem rude. I know
how busy the Blood Land is, but I brought this up hoping we can help each other.”

“I see. That makes sense.” Duke Tuan Tien nodded with an easygoing attitude and
stroked the map again. His eyes had a crazy light, and he was trying to hide the greed
in them, but Yeon-woo didn’t miss it. Then, Duke Tuan Tien’s eyes turned dark. He
slowly took his hands off the map and sat back in his chair. A sharp light flashed in
his eyes. “But that doesn’t seem to be the only reason you’ve requested our
assistance?”

As expected from the person who was second in command of such a large clan, Duke
Tuan Tien immediately assumed that Yeon-woo wanted more. Since Yeon-woo
wanted him to think this way, as well, he nodded coldly and suggested a few things.

Duke Tuan Tien listened seriously, nodding. He smiled and gave a few of his own
opinions. “I think that’ll be fine. Good. Let’s do this.” His smile was sharp and cold,
just like the sword he was named after. “Let’s find the grave of the last dragon king.”

「It’s a big one.」

Yeon-woo grabbed Duke Tuan Tien’s extended hand. Under his mask, his eyes were
curved just like the duke’s, but for a completely different reason.
 ***

「You know that I’m watching, but you’re still trying to commit such amusing acts.
How impertinent, human.」 Swoosh. After Duke Tuan Tien left saying that he would
make a report to the Gluttony Emperor, the Summer Queen appeared behind Yeon-
woo with her sharp laugh and intense aura.

She didn’t have the powerful energy she’d possessed when she first left the Black
King’s power, but she exuded her will in her faint spirit body. Suddenly, Shanon
appeared from Yeon-woo’s shadow as well to protect him against the Summer
Queen.

Even though the Summer Queen had descended because of Yeon-woo’s call, she
wasn’t a familiar like Shanon and the others were. Shanon had to be prepared
because the Summer Queen was unpredictable.

「The loyalty of a dog to a new master is quite incredible.」 Of course, the Summer
Queen couldn’t harm Yeon-woo in her state, but she had lived for such a long time
that it was hard to say what she’d try to do.

However, the Summer Queen ignored Shanon’s protectiveness with a laugh, thinking
it was cute. Shanon had been a team leader who didn’t even dare look at her when he
was alive. He’d luckily grown this powerful being and was now glaring at her, his
original master. However, she was more entertained than displeased.

Even still, Shanon regarded her warily. She was his previous master, but he was now
completely dedicated to Yeon-woo. Losing interest, the Summer Queen crossed her
arms and looked down at Yeon-woo arrogantly. Yeon-woo was trying to bring down
one of her legacies, White Dragon, but despite that, the Summer Queen was calm and
even seemed amused.

“Red Dragon hurt Jeong-woo.” Yeon-woo no longer said that Jeong-woo died. With
Jeong-woo’s vestige body in the pocket watch, he didn’t have to say it. “Why? Are you
going to stop me?”

「Of course not. Do you think I’ll have any attachments to my previous life? My
descendants should take care of their own business.」 Unlike the souls of humans
that wandered around the nether world, unable to let go, the Draconic species let go
of any regrets as soon as they closed their eyes. After all, they had lived long lives.
The Summer Queen had a lingering attachment for Yeon-woo and resentment of
Allforone, but she no longer had any interest in her legacy. She wasn’t foolish enough
to have regrets, but she wasn’t completely indifferent either.

“Is that how much you trust your children?”

「I trust the eldest.」

“Even though she’s falling behind her younger siblings?”

「That’s just how it is. Only the strongest survive. That is a rule that never changes
no matter how much the times change.」 The Summer Queen didn’t seem to be too
concerned about her children ruining her legacy. She believed that after they chewed
each other up, the last one standing would take everything. She was also certain that
it would be her eldest, the Spring Queen, Waltz.

“You’re saying I should take them down if I can.”

「A king is only qualified to rule if he vanquishes his rivals and overcomes

challenges. Try as much as you want.」

Yeon-woo slowly took off his mask and swept his hair back. His fierce eyes pierced
through the Summer Queen. Although Jeong-woo had forgiven her, he hadn’t.

However, the Summer Queen only laughed as if she didn’t care if he exhausted
himself trying to cut down her legacy and disappeared. She used a small amount of
the Black King’s power to freely come and go, and Yeon-woo couldn’t stop her.

Yeon-woo stood, putting the mask back on. The trigger had been pulled. Now, all that
was left was to move forward to his goal, the fiftieth floor. Just as he was about to
turn around, something occurred to him. ‘Edora should be on the fiftieth floor
around this time.’

There wasn’t a day when he didn’t think fondly of the drinks he’d had with Phante
and Edora a long time ago.

***

Rumble. Rain poured down in sheets.

“This is Jonathan?” Iron Lion Ivan ducked away from the umbrella his subordinate
was holding up and stood in front of the coffin. His voice was dry, as though he
weren’t feeling any emotions. However, those around him knew he was pressing
down his fury with preternatural strength.

“We discovered him alone with his eyes closed on the forty-second floor. We
apologize.”

The death of their co-captain, Jonathan, had been a great shock to the Iron Lion Clan.
Although he lacked too many things to be considered skilled, Jonathan’s warm
personality had made him seem almost like a maternal figure to those who led the
rough life of a mercenary.

He was well-respected not only by the Iron Lion Clan but by many others in the
mercenary world, and it was hard to find mercenaries who weren’t indebted to him.
Although the mercenary alliance had been forced on them, they were united in their
fury at the Hoarder who had killed Jonathan.

“Fool.” Ivan felt like he knew why Jonathan had made the decision to go to the forty-
second floor. Jonathan had been depressed after losing many of his subordinates on
the Five Mountains of Penances. He didn’t express it openly, but those close to him
knew that he felt guilty about making the wrong judgment and causing so many
deaths.

Ivan had tried to comfort him by saying there were always losses and victories in
battle, but Jonathan couldn’t shake it off. When he heard that the Hoarder had
reappeared, he said he’d step up himself. Knowing the danger, Ivan tried to stop him,
but Jonathan had been unshakeable. Ivan ended up agreeing to let him go only on the
condition that he left as soon as it got too dangerous.

In the end, Ivan’s worries had become reality. He knew why Jonathan had returned
as a corpse. The forced alliance was already bleeding with fury and hostility. With his
death, Jonathan was hoping that something greater would bind them all.

Ivan felt like his right arm was being pulled out, but he clenched his fists, not
wanting to lose the opportunity Jonathan had given him. He rubbed the coffin, and
when he stood up, his eyes were ice-cold. “Daham.”

“Yes, sir.” The third captain, who was now the co-captain, bowed.
“The investigation of the Hoarder is over, I presume?”

“Yes, sir. We’re in the process of organizing the results.” Players inevitably left traces
whenever they battled, and they had investigated the Hoarder’s combat style by
examining the corpses he left behind.

“What’s the conclusion?”

“We’ll have to take a closer look… but if we face him directly, we’ll sustain a lot of
damage.” It was already known that the Hoarder was a Lord with many familiars.
Ivan didn’t think they’d be able to avoid the losses either.

“You said the Magic Tower people are at headquarters now, right?”

“Yes. They proposed an alliance with us. The surviving members of Triton,
Necropolis, emerging clans, and rankers have also sent emissaries.”

The movements of the Iron Lion Clan weren’t limited to the mercenary world. Those
who resented the Hoarder, envied him, and were wary of him were also on the move.
They were planning the first large conference at the Iron Lion Clan’s base. They
didn’t have an official name, but they called themselves the anti-Hoarder clan
alliance.

“That’s how much trouble he’s caused. But it isn’t enough, we should render our prey
completely powerless.” Ivan muttered to himself. He remembered something and
turned to Daham. “That One-horned tribe member who is close to the Hoarder—
Demon Beauty. She’s challenging the fiftieth floor, yes?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Ivan smiled crookedly. “There’s nothing better than a little bait to force someone’s
hand. As soon as the conference is over, send forces over.”

“Yes, sir!” Daham bowed neatly.

Players dashed through the trees of the Imugi Forest in the northwest of the Dragon
Temple on the fiftieth floor.

“Follow them!”

“They won’t have gotten far. If we lose them, we’re fucked. Catch them, no matter
what.”

Swish.

The forest was perfect for training rankers and semi-rankers, but it was extremely
noisy at the moment.

“Damn it… I don’t see the end. Where are all these bastards coming from?” Chatura,
the vice-chatelaine of Demon Beauty Castle, gritted her teeth. She thought they’d
evaded all of their pursuers but they were still hot on their tail.

She couldn’t believe what Demon Beauty Castle had gone through in the last few
days.

Pant! Pant! She could feel a hot breath full of exhaustion on her neck. ‘If only Demon
Beauty was awake…!’ Chatura gritted her teeth even harder as she looked at the pale
Edora on her back.

After Edora entered the Dragon Temple for her trial, a sudden attack had messed
everything up. From their clothing, it was obvious that the attackers were affiliated
with different mercenary and magician groups.

They were players that had recently gathered under the banner of the Lion Alliance.
It was a massive group centered around the Iron Lion Clan, with members from the
mercenary and magic alliances. Small forces like Triton, Necropolis, emerging clans,
and rankers jumping on the bandwagon also joined.
They had a long and complicated name, but for short, they used the name Lion
Alliance after the Iron Lion Ivan. The first thing they did was to hunt Demon Beauty
Castle. The reason they gave was that Demon Beauty Castle had wreaked havoc in
the middle floors, and this alliance had been forged to correct them.

However, only a fool would believe this excuse. From the beginning, the forces in the
Lion Alliance were mostly those who had lost to the Hoarder. They had a strong
desire to take revenge, and so they attacked Demon Beauty Edora, who was known
to be the Hoarder’s comrade.

Unfortunately for Edora, they had chosen the moment when she’d been focusing on
her trial and her guard was down. Edora not only failed her trial, she was also
heavily injured, to the point of being at death’s door. For some unknown reason, she
had also fallen into a coma, and no one could wake her up.

The rest of Demon Beauty Castle had been just as powerless against the Lion
Alliance’s onslaught since they hadn’t set up a proper defense. The sacrifices of
Edora’s followers managed to buy time, but Chatura and the others still couldn’t
shake the persistent Lion Alliance. In the end, there was no other place to run to
except the Imugi Forest, but from what she could sense, their pursuers had already
surrounded the forest.

‘What should I do?’ As the person who was now responsible for Demon Beauty
Castle in Edora’s stead, Chatura had to rack her brain for a plan to get through the
obstacles. If only someone could help them—but there was no hope of that
happening. The players on the fiftieth floor were mostly semi-rankers trying to
become rankers, and they were only concerned about their trials and wouldn’t want
to get drawn into unnecessary danger.

On top of that, the Lion Alliance’s large number meant that they were exceptionally
stronger than the four up-and-coming clans combined. They could even match any of
the Eight Clans in terms of strength. No one would want to antagonize them, and
everyone knew that nothing good came from getting involved in conflicts with the
Hoarder.

Chatura didn’t understand why the Lion Alliance had made such a dangerous
decision. ‘What are they thinking?’

Demon Beauty Castle aside, Edora had the backing of the most powerful player, the
Martial King. It was true the Martial King was mainly indifferent to his tribe
members’ businesses if it didn’t directly involve his tribe’s honor. Still, the members
of the alliance must’ve experienced the Martial King’s monstrous strength over the
past decades, surely they would be concerned about any trouble he would cause.
However, the Lion Alliance still attacked Demon Beauty Castle as though they were
sworn enemies.

Boom. Colossal balls of fire poured down from above. Chatura and the rest of the
Demon Beauty Castle leaders were exhausted after blocking multiple bombardments
already. She stepped up automatically, but a shadow suddenly dashed forward.

“I’ll take care of this place, so the rest of you can escort Demon Beauty off the floor!”
Nyence broke off from the group and flourished his sword.

“But…”

“There’s no time. Quick!” Nyence immediately ran towards the approaching enemies
at a speed befitting of his nickname, Fierce Zephyr. There was no time to listen to
their responses. Lightning rained down with every stroke of his sword and
prevented the pursuers from moving forward.

They had made so many sacrifices that they already lost count of how many were
gone. However, Chatura and the rest had no choice but to swallow their tears and
run, even though they knew that Nyence’s sacrifice wouldn’t be of much help.

The net around them was growing tighter, and all their escape routes were blocked.
The portal scrolls to move to other floors weren’t working either. Would they be
defeated and forced to surrender Edora like this? Dark clouds gathered over them.

Pant! Pant! As they grew more desperate, Chatura could still feel Edora’s rough
breath on her neck

***

“So you’re the child I saw multiple times through that other child’s eyes. The one
with Shaohao’s eyes.”

As Demon Beauty Castle was running away from the Lion Alliance, Edora was locked
in her memories, remembering the words of the being she’d met in the Dragon
Temple. “I didn’t know because the moments were so brief, but now I see what
you’ve been blessed with.”

As expected of a stage that gave different trials to each player, the trial that Edora
had was vastly different from what she heard from her father and the Head Elder. A
massive shadow that seemed to have no end appeared in front of her, as though it
had been waiting for her.

After opening her Insight, she realized that it was a dragon greater and more
immense than the Summer Queen, whom she had seen once.

The dragon looked into Edora’s eyes with its gigantic golden ones as it said those
mysterious words. Edora wanted to ask who “that child” was, what she was blessed
with, and who the being in front of her was, but for some reason, she couldn’t speak.

The things she saw in the dragon were too mighty. Aside from the great spirit that
she had only ever seen in the Martial King, Insight revealed all the laws of the world,
rendering her speechless, as though she’d seen the vastness of the galaxy for the first
time. It seemed to hold the secret of the Yang Sword that she had been investigating.

Edora wanted to approach the dragon more closely even though it was suspicious
that a living dragon was still around when the species should have gone completely
extinct after the Summer Queen’s death. However, even though it was impossible to
identify and potentially a strange illusion created by the trial, she felt an unusual pull
towards the dragon. It felt like an invisible string connected them.

She took a step forward, but the Lion Alliance attacked right at that moment,
crushing down her trial. The dragon faded away, and with the connection forcefully
cut off, her soul had taken a hard hit.

“My name is Kalatus.” Edora ended up being tied to the remnants of the dragon for a
while. “I was an immoral king who led my species to destruction, and I opened your
fates to fix…” The dragon’s words were cut off at that moment.

‘What was he trying to say?’ However, the fading voice managed to say something
before it disappeared. “Cha Yeon-woo. Bring Cha Yeon-woo to me. There’s not much
time.”

Boom!

Edora’s eyes shot open like she had been shocked. The name the dragon mentioned,
Cha Yeon-woo, was familiar. How did the dragon know that name? Edora wanted to
ask more questions, but she was shaken to her senses by the smell of blood that
stung her nose.

A mysterious group had attacked her while she was speaking with the dragon. What
happened after that? She remembered being flung out of the trial and the followers
of Demon Beauty Castle rescuing her. After that… she had no memory of anything.

“Demon Beauty!”

“Have you regained your senses, Demon Beauty?”’

Rubbing her throbbing head, she got up, feeling many pairs of eyes on her. Some
were full of tears and relief, others farther away were full of annoyance and violence.
She immediately realized what the situation was as soon as her vision cleared. She
was surrounded by Demon Beauty Castle, who was trying to protect her, and beyond
them was the Lion Alliance.

“It would’ve been better if you’d never woken up. You’re just causing more trouble.”

Edora pressed her temples, feeling a bad headache coming on as her head rang with
the voice of the culprit who had messed up her trial. “You.” She gripped Divine Evil
and spoke in an irritated tone. “I’ll kill you first.”

Her haggard eyes flashed through her waterfall-like hair. “Since it looks like there’s
more people looking for me aside from you.” Edora looked out of the corners of her
eyes at her surroundings, and threw herself towards her waiting enemies. Boom!
Swish!

“Catch her! Do whatever you must.”

At the man’s orders, the Lion Alliance began to move.

***

“Oho. Did she see us?”

While Edora clashed with the Lion Alliance, other players—mostly High Elves and
fairies—watched the situation from far away. It was the Elohim.
After the destruction of Paneth’s party, they hadn’t known what to do until they
received a message from an oracle: “Bring down the darkness that wants to swallow
up the light and return all to its shadows.”

There had been some confusion because it was unclear who the oracle was, but they
were quickly able to figure the meaning. They were the light, and the darkness was
the being getting in their way, which meant that it had to be none other than the
Hoarder.

However, to strike the Hoarder, they needed to get through the One-horned tribe, the
Blood Land, and many others first. They decided the best way was to lure the
Hoarder with a good bait, just as the Lion Alliance was planning.

They’d been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the waters to churn so much that
their target would fall into their net, but it seemed like they’d been caught out.

“Oh well.” Uros, the leader of the Seven Member Squad, the special forces of the
Elohim, and the head of the High Mountain family, swept back his hair and began to
move.

***

“The Elohim is on the move.”

“We should jump in too.”

The Elohim weren’t the only ones watching. The Plague Ghost Kindred smiled cruelly
under his hood. The followers of the Devil Army followed behind the Elohim,
narrowing their net around Edora.

“Cain. I’ll pluck those impertinent eyes of yours out this time.” Kindred said
ominously, his voice rising like a ghost’s scream.

***

“Edora’s on the fiftieth floor?” It was at that moment that Yeon-woo heard the news
about Edora.
Duke Tuan Tien had been the one to bring Yeon-woo the news about Edora. He’d
come across it by accident on his way back to Yeon-woo with the Gluttony Emperor’s
approval and the greatest attack team of the Blood Land.

‘His eyes…!’ He had brought it up to encourage Yeon-woo, thinking they could use
the help of the One-horned tribe while they were at it. But the moment he saw Yeon-
woo’s eyes, Duke Tuan Tien was taken by surprise.

He coughed, pretending like nothing was the matter once he realized how obvious
his sudden wariness had been, but Yeon-woo’s sharp expression didn’t change. “Tell
me what happened in detail.”

Duke Tuan Tien didn’t even notice that Yeon-woo was no longer speaking formally to
him. “Do you remember the mercenary alliance and magic alliance you’ve clashed
with before? Groups like Triton and Necropolis have gathered with them to target
Demon Beauty.” Yeon-woo listened in silence. “Because of that, Demon Beauty was
heavily injured on the fiftieth floor, but the problem is that the Elohim and the Devil
Army have also jumped into the fray.”

“The Elohim and the Devil Army?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the groups you’ve had conflicts with
have all joined in.” Duke Tuan Tien shook his head.

Yeon-woo nodded after thinking over his explanation and walked past him.

It was only a flash, but Duke Tuan Tien didn’t miss the coldness in Yeon-woo’s eyes.
‘There’s gonna be quite a mess.’ He crossed his arms and a corner of his mouth rose.
He had already forgotten how flustered Yeon-woo’s eyes had made him and was now
in high-spirits. The angrier the Hoarder was, the better it was for him.

A lanky man quietly approached the duke. “He’s quite rude—completely different
from how Father described him. Why did Father tell you to work with such a rude
guy, Master?”

“You cannot judge someone by his appearance, Your Highness. He will be a very nice
ally for us. Please calm your anger, Your Highness.”

The man was the crown prince of the Blood Land, Prince Domo. He frowned in
displeasure. He couldn’t refute his admirable master, Duke Tuan Tien, but he looked
irked, nonetheless. Anger filled his eyes as he looked at Yeon-woo’s back.

Duke Tuan Tien had to appease his disciple, who would be his future king. It wasn’t
that he didn’t understand where he was coming from. As the crown prince of the
Blood Land and the only son of the Gluttony Emperor, it was natural that he would
be accustomed to deference. Powerful rankers always bowed their head to him, and
he always got everything he wanted.

However, the Gluttony Emperor had suddenly given him an order while he’d been
resting comfortably, as always: “Follow the Hoarder, and learn from him.”

To Prince Domo, the Hoarder was just a cocky vagabond who was overconfident
because of his recent fame. He didn’t understand why he had to follow someone like
that. What was he supposed to learn?

However, his respected father had requested this with a serious expression that he
hadn’t seen in a long time, so he couldn’t refuse. He knew what his father would do if
he resisted. ‘Like my other siblings, he’ll put me on the table.’ Prince Domo didn’t
want to follow in his dead siblings’ footsteps, so he ended up accompanying his
bodyguards and Duke Tuan Tien.

His bodyguards were all some of the most powerful players within the Blood Land,
and the Gluttony Emperor had picked each one himself. However, he didn’t realize
that they were also the eyes and ears of the Gluttony Emperor, and they kept a
constant watch over him, silently evaluating him.

Duke Tuan Tien didn’t mention any of this and rushed to appease the prince. “You
know that His Majesty isn’t one to say silly things. He must have a reason to wish
that you learn from the Hoarder.”

“But we’ll become enemies with the Devil Army and the Elohim if we work with him,
right? It’s true we’re going to chop them up and serve them someday, but I don’t
think anything good will come from creating hostilities now, Master.” Duke Tuan
Tien’s warning pricked Prince Domo’s conscience, but he didn’t take back his
opinion.

Duke Tuan Tien nodded. He knew that the prince wasn’t completely wrong. “We’re
also concerned about that, but we’ve decided that the kingdom has more to gain this
way.”

“The Dragon Labyrinth… I hope it’s as useful as it’s been made out to be. I don’t wish
for it to get in our way.” Realizing that his opinion didn’t matter, Prince Domo stuck
his lower lip out and grumbled. He didn’t express any more of his displeasure, but
his glaring eyes didn’t move from Yeon-woo.

Duke Tian Tien just watched him. If he wasn’t a fit successor to the throne, jealousy
would blind him. However, if he was capable, he’d learn something from the Hoarder.
And as he expected, it took less than a day for Prince Domo to completely change his
mind.

***

[You have succeeded in clearing the beasts Lava Beast and Ice Witch.]

[The trial of the 44th floor is finished. Will you move to the next floor?]

“Dammit! Again?”

“It hasn’t even been that long since we cleared the forty-third floor!”

The challenge of the forty-fourth floor was to subjugate beasts that lived in the
center of areas with lava and ice.

However, to get to them, you had to hunt different monsters at different stages. It
was famed for being difficult to clear because the monsters were all buffed. Yeon-
woo had asked Prince Domo and his bodyguards to take care of the monsters and
vanished. Then, a few hours later, he had done the impossible task of felling the two
beasts at once.

Considering the fact that both beasts could easily gulp down rankers and even the
Blood Land was forced to create raid teams to clear the floor, it was a jaw-dropping
feat.
That was already shocking enough, but…

[43rd-Floor Ranking]

1. Unknown

2. Nayu

3. Edora

[44th-Floor Ranking]

1. Unknown

2. Edora

3. Cah Jeong-woo

‘First place? Are you kidding me?!’

Even though he had cleared through the floors at such a rapid pace, the first place in
the rankings always went to “Unknown”, whom everyone knew was Yeon-woo. How
was that possible?

The others took months, years in some cases, to clear a floor. It was already
surprising that he could get past the two floors in a matter of hours, but Yeon-woo
was even affecting the rankings of each stage. However, Yeon-woo’s surprises didn’t
stop there.

[The trial of the 45th floor is finished. Will you move to the next floor?]

[The trial of the 46th…]

[The trial of the 47th…]

…
[The trial of the 49th floor is finished.]

“Huff, huff, huff!!”

“Please! Stop! Slow down!”

“I’m dying… let’s continue after a break…!”

“Auhhhh.”

Yeon-woo crushed the floors without rest, leaving Prince Domo and his bodyguards
almost delirious from exhaustion as they followed him. They were tasked to get rid
of the smaller monsters, take the debuffs, and look for items while Yeon-woo focused
on the main stage.

Of course, since most of the bodyguards were rankers, the trials were doable.
However, there was a huge difference between taking your time and running through
the trials without rest. Clearing through all the floors in the forties in a single day
was crazy. By the time they reached the forty-ninth floor, their faces were pale from
fatigue. Even when they pleaded with Yeon-woo to rest, their pleas fell on deaf ears.

In fact, he even increased his speed. The exhausted bodyguards dropped off one by
one. Still, most of them tried to stick to him because Prince Domo was still following
Yeon-woo tenaciously.

‘Is it possible? Is he really only a player on the lower floors? The rumors were true.’
Prince Domo’s impression of Yeon-woo slowly changed as he followed him. They
went from disgust, shock, detestation, jealousy, and finally, envy. ‘He’s so cool!’

Prince Domo’s eyes filled with envy as Yeon-woo cleared the stages almost
effortlessly. It was exactly what he wanted to be in the future: dominating the trials
on his own and moving casually to the next floor as though it were no big deal. His
impression of Yeon-woo as a vagabond disappeared, and only the desire to be like
him remained.

He finally understood why his father and master had told him to follow Yeon-woo,
and his perception of the world did a one-eighty. Yeon-woo lifted his head at their
gazes.

[You have set a new record on this floor. Will you register your name in the Hall of
Fame?]

[You have refused to register your name.]

[Your record has been deeply engraved in the Tower. You can register your name
whenever you wish.]

[Will you move to the next floor?]

As always, he left his name as “Unknown” in the Hall of Fame. Finally, he reached the
fiftieth floor. Whoosh!

[This is the 50th floor, the gate of the Dragon Temple.]

The smell of dry sand came wafting through the air. ‘I’ve finally arrived.’ This was the
place he urgently had to reach after hearing Kalatus’ voice once his Dragon Body
awakened for the first time. He’d also been desperate to come here after Jeong-woo’s
vestige body had woken up. It had taken him longer than expected. Still, his heart
was beating so hard, it could explode.

[The godly society <Asgard> is greatly surprised by your feat of clearing through the
floors in the forties in a single day.]

[The godly society <Chan Sect> watches you.]

[The demonic society <L’Infernal> has reached an agreement to end the discussion
about your level.]

[The voting is in process. There are societies that have not voted yet, so please wait.]

The responses of various gods and demons popped up. Yeon-woo didn’t care that
they were still discussing his level, but Olympus, who had been interested in his
every action, was still quiet. Was the battle in Tartarus still ongoing? Mother Earth
might’ve schemed something with the Elohim, getting them to chase after Edora.

Yeon-woo quickly expanded his territory of recognition and searched for the location
that had the most commotion. He instantly spotted an area with intense waves of
energy. ‘The northwest, Imugi Forest!’ It was so far away that he couldn’t be sure, but
Edora’s side seemed to be in critical danger. “I’ll go first. You can follow me.” At those
words, Yeon-woo left behind the exhausted Duke Tian Tien and the bodyguards,
speeding towards the forest. Swish!

As they watched Yeon-woo fade away into a small dot, Prince Domo and the
bodyguards looked incredulous. It was unbelievable that Yeon-woo still had so much
strength after crushing the previous floors. Then, they turned to each other.

“I guess we…”

“We have to go. Since we’re here to help.”

“Damn it…”

The weary bodyguards were forced to get back up at Prince Domo’s words and
began to run towards the Imugi Forest, where Yeon-woo was headed.
Swish! Yeon-woo continued to race forward. The stage of the fiftieth floor was
centered around a holy territory and split into different types of terrain.

There are steep mountains, dense jungles, and vast seas. Out of all the floors in the
Tower, the fiftieth floor has the most diverse terrain. The fiftieth floor is based on an old
home of the Draconic species, and since different types of dragons liked different types
of terrain, the stage had to accommodate that.

Red dragons like volcanoes, blue dragons the ocean floors, golden dragons the floating
islands in the skies, and so on. The characteristics of each terrain were unique, and so
are the hidden pieces that can be gained.

As Yeon-woo observed the terrain with his extended territory of recognition, he

moved along the shortcuts he remembered from the diary. When he was halfway
across a mountain range, he could see a tall cliff in the south rising over fields. A
colossal temple that could hold thousands of people sat on the cliff. The combined
temples of the Three Norns on the sixteenth floor couldn’t even hold a candle to this
temple.

There were players struggling to climb the unkempt, rickety path to the temple.
Information from the diary flashed through Yeon-woo’s head.

Of all the areas on the fiftieth floor, the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when
they speak of that floor is the holy territory at the center. It’s the training area
commonly called the Wailing Wall.

It was the infamous wall that countless players had challenged for thousands of
years. As if evidence of its age, there were innumerable markings on it, traces of the
struggles of skilled players who were desperate to become rankers—their blood,
sweat, and tears.

However, Yeon-woo knew that under all those marks were even deeper ones; the
traces of dragons who had struggled against the wall called Allforone in order to gain
transcendence, just like the players who were forced to stop by the Wailing Wall.

No one remembered it anymore, but the ancient dragon Kalatus had requested
Jeong-woo, whom he’d designated as his successor, to remember. Yeon-woo had to
put aside the emotions that his brother must have felt back then and dug around in
his pocket, pulling out the skeleton insignias.

[Token of the Skeleton King]

[Category: Amulet]

[Rank: ??? (Unknown)]

[Description: A token of a forgotten species that contains a secret. If you don’t find
clues about its secret, you can only use it as a simple charm. However, the spiritual
energy exuded by the token reveals that it is an item with a relatively superior
divinity. The more you earn, the greater its effect.]

The legacy of the Skeleton King was a tablet that was considered a clue to the
existence of the Giant species. His brother hadn’t been able to uncover its secrets
despite repeating his special benefit over and over.

Nearly nothing was known about the Giant species because they had gone extinct
sooner than Draconic species. What was more, most of their relics were pretty much
gone because of the tricks the gods and demons played. They left behind
descendants who were half-Giants, but they knew next to nothing about their
ancestors.

However, Yeon-woo did have some basic instructions on the Skeleton King Tablet.
Clatter. The tokens floated out and began to fit together piece by piece until a large
bead-like object appeared in his palm. The bead glowed with a white light like
porcelain from the Joseon era. It was called the Skeleton King’s bone relic.

[Skeleton King Tablet]

[Category: Amulet]

[Rank: ??? (Unknown)]

[Description: A legacy left behind by the last king of a forgotten species. If you cannot
uncover the secret of the old species, you will not learn any details. However, the
spiritual energy exuded by the tablet reveals that it is an item with a relatively
superior divinity. It is especially effective with the dark or evil element.]

“Boo.”

Boo appeared through darkness and bowed. 「Please… speak.」

“Eat.”

「Thank… you.」 As Yeon-woo tossed the Skeleton King Tablet over, Boo caught it in
his mouth and swallowed it. When it knocked against his hard jaw, it broke into
smaller sections before he absorbed it. Some might think it was a waste to use the
tablet like this, since it could be a clue to uncovering the secret of the Giant species.
However, Yeon-woo believed that it was more important for the hungry Boo to gain
more power rather than look after something that might forever elude him.

Swoosh! The Inferno Sights in Boo’s eyes blazed as black energy hovered above his
body. 「Ah. Ahh.」 Boo’s emotions had been dulled after he became undead, but at
this moment, he was drunk with delight. He had learned about his former power
when he’d received darkness from the Demonism and briefly had Faust’s memories.
This made him realize how powerless he was now in comparison. Compared to
Faust, he was like a speck of dust. In fact, how could a skeletal witchdoctor with a
shaky jaw even be compared to a great scholar who’d created the Emerald Tablet
through a transaction with an otherworldly god? He worked harder than ever to
regain his identity as Faust. He even wanted to reach a higher position than the one
he’d had. Only then would he be able to better serve his master, Yeon-woo.

In the past, Faust had failed, but he couldn’t do that this time. Because of this, he
tried to be as independent of the darkness as possible. He attempted to become
stronger to regain his old memories and power on his own.

Yeon-woo knew Boo’s desperate desire, so he handed the tablet over without any
hesitation. However, Boo didn’t seem to undergo any superficial changes despite
growing thirty centimeters. But Yeon-woo could see from Boo’s Inferno Sights that
Boo had changed. Hellfire that seemed to come from the deepest crevices of hell
flickered in them.

Just as Shanon and Hanryeong had overcome their levels to be reborn as Death
Nobles, Boo had shed his status as a Lich and had been reborn as a higher being.

[Boo (Witchdoctor) has surpassed his limits to be reborn as an Elder Lich.[

[He has successfully restored most of his past memories. He is aware of his identity
as Faust.]

[However, due to the transaction with an otherworldly god, important information

has been sealed. A new transaction with an otherworldly god is required to acquire
it.]

[The sudden quest (Lost Memory) has been created.]

[Sudden Quest / Lost Memory]

[Description: With much effort, Boo has regained his identity as Faust with his old
memories. However, not all of Faust’s memories and powers have returned.
Memories of the creation of the Emerald Tablet that birthed the Philosopher's Stone
are still foggy because an otherworldly god has touched his memory.

To regain this memory, a new transaction is necessary. Otherwise, you must look for
clues about Faust’s past. Follow the traces of Faust in order to regain the lost
memories.]

[Time Limit: - ]

[Rewards:

1. Faust’s remaining memories

2. Transaction with an otherworld god

3. Clues to the true Emerald Tablet]

Yeon-woo swiped the quest window down and gave Boo an order. “Go.”

「Yes… sir.」 Boo read Yeon-woo’s plans through their connection and bowed,
disappearing in the darkness. A much darker and fiercer demonic magic flickered.
Soon, Yeon-woo reached the coordinates he’d found after arriving on the floor. Below
a ridge, he could see groups of players fighting intensely in the forest.
Edora was gasping for breath, holding herself up with Divine Evil. Her white uniform
was covered in dust, and blood dripped down her forehead. Her comrades from
Demon Beauty Castle had surrounded her protectively, but most of them had
dropped to the ground. Not many were still standing.

Enemies approached her, dripping with murderous intent. They seemed to think of
Edora and Demon Beauty Castle as prey that they’d already caught because they
were beginning to squabble among themselves.

Yeon-woo immediately recognized the Elohim, the Devil Army, and the Lion Alliance.
It was just as Duke Tuan Tien had described. Their affiliations and purposes were
different, but for Yeon-woo, they were all enemies he had to push aside.

Just then, the Devil Army began to move around Demon Beauty Castle. The one
battling Edora was familiar to Yeon-woo. It was Kindred.

The Elohim started to pressure them from the back, as if they didn’t want to be one-
upped. The Lion Alliance bustled around them, and the suspicions among the three
forces amplified.

Just then, the players who were pressuring Demon Beauty Edora froze. Boom. They
all looked at each other with stiff expressions, then at the ground underneath their
feet. They sensed that the sound was coming from below. Hesitation and doubt
flashed across their faces. Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang!

“Wh-what is this?”

“Watch out!”

The ground cracked, and something suddenly soared up from below. A massive
mouth dozens of meters wide flashed and gulped ten players down its abyss-like
throat. It was an Imugi, a Flood Dragon.

The characteristics of each stage on the fiftieth floor are all different, and various types
of subdragons thrive according to the traces of their old masters and traits of their
magic power.

The Imugi Forest in the northwest is the home of the Flood Dragon, a type of Imugi.

It was a dragon with a snake-like body and shiny black scales. It technically wasn’t a
true dragon since it hadn’t gained enlightenment, but it wasn’t a stupid beast. It was
sly and had a violent temper.

“Aaaack!”

“What is that, stop it!”

“Aargh!”

The subdragon had suddenly popped out, leaving the three forces helpless. The Lion
Alliance received the most damage, and as the Devil Army and the Elohim tried to
escape, they found that magic squares had spread along the ground around their
ankles, preventing them from leaving.

“I-I can’t move!”

“Damn it! It’s an enemy! Dispel! Rip the dispel scroll!”

Their magic power didn’t work either, so their magic failed. Boo had not only led the
Flood Dragon to them, but he also cast large-scale magic. With the Spirit Guai, a
shadow extended and bound their bodies.

Even if they tried to get rid of the Spirit Guai, the Flood Dragon was already prepared
to unleash its wrath at the trespassers in its territory. It opened its mouth wide and
spewed out acidic Breath that swept away thirty percent of the Devil Army. Then, it
swung its tail, sending a tornado of dust shooting up to the sky. Half of the Elohim
were crushed, their flesh and blood staining the Flood Dragon’s tail.

“Aaack!”

In the pandemonium, Edora and the Demon Beauty Castle just blinked their eyes in
confusion. They had been prepared for death, and now things had changed all of a
sudden. When the tail of the Flood Dragon was about to reach them, they got into
defensive stances. Just then, a shadow dropped in front of Edora and flicked the
Flood Dragon’s tail away.

Edora straightened and looked at their rescuer in surprise. It was a masked man in a
fluttering black coat who swept his hair back as his familiar eyes smiled at her
behind the mask she had missed. “Ora… boni?”
Just as Edora murmured the honorific she used for Yeon-woo, Kindred pushed his
way through the dust cloud and ran towards Yeon-woo furiously. “Cain! You again…!”

Boom! Yeon-woo quickly pulled Vigrid out and dashed forward.

Bang! Kindred’s green right hand twisted like a hook and struck Yeon-woo’s head. He
was as quick as he was small, and his eyes glowed with a golden light, indicating that
he’d activated his Fiery Golden Eyes.

Yeon-woo swung Vigrid to the left and black Aura unspooled over the shiny white
blade, wrapping around it like a cocoon. As soon as the blade clashed with Kindred’s
hand, the black Aura trembled and exploded.

Swoosh! Even though it was a simple clash, the impact caused multiple shockwaves
to ripple out. The ground had already been split into cracks by the Flood Dragon, and
it sank even more as columns of dirt shot up. However, none of that stopped the two
combatants, who ran towards each other once again.

“I’ll tear you to shreds today, no matter what it takes.”

“I’ll send you to your beloved Heavenly Demon’s side first. Oh wait, I guess he won’t
accept you since he’s already abandoned you, hm?”

“How dare you run your mouth like that…!” Kindred reddened and his attacks took
on more strength as Yeon-woo pointed out the Devil Army’s weakness. Whoosh.
Flames blazed along his hand and the atmosphere began to burn.

「Kya! Our temperamental king has a way with words now.」

Yeon-woo let Shanon’s words enter one ear and flow out the other as he stabbed
Vigrid deep into the fire.

[Vigrid-??? releases a hidden true name, ‘Durendal’.]

[Folklore: Gust of Wind]

Boom! Vigrid unleashed great winds that swept away the flames, and in an instant, it
dug deep, restricting Kindred’s movements with the Eight Extreme Swords little by
little. Ring. Yeon-woo circulated his magic power to its maximum, swirling it around
Kindred. When he added Heaven Bracket, it was like a storm of magic power raging
around Yeon-woo. Shwoo.

[Fiery Golden Eyes]

[Draconic Eyes]

[Black Gubitara - Philosopher’s Eyes]

He didn’t forget to divert more power to his eyes in order to catch Kindred’s nimble
actions. The three layers of eyes predicted and tracked Kindred’s movements as he
tried to escape the storm.

He cut Kindred’s ankle. However, Yeon-woo held back from spreading his Sky Wings.
‘I have to hide the wings for now so I can use them in a surprise attack later.’

The more cards he had up his sleeve, the sweeter his revenge would be. Since he was
planning on fighting the Gluttony Emperor and the Head Bishop, he was careful not
to reveal his full power. Besides, even without his Sky Wings, he could hold his own.
He had already reconstructed his body with the Atman System in Tartarus, and after
succeeding to the throne of the Underworld, his growth was worthy of close
attention.

Since he already had the ability to kill gods, he didn’t fall behind the Nine Kings even
without opening his Sky Wings. Rumble! Yeon-woo slashed Vigrid down, flinging
Kindred away as Fire Lightning rained down.

Kindred gripped his burns, shocked. “How…?” He knew that Yeon-woo was strong
enough to disconnect the Head Bishop’s link after absorbing the Great Sage’s
exuviae, and he remembered how Yeon-woo had defeated him in Walpurgisnacht.
But he still considered Yeon-woo nothing more than a rookie, just like the other
Sadhu on the Five Mountains of Penances. It was beyond shocking to him that Yeon-
woo managed to push him back like this in such a short time. Yeon-woo’s growth was
unbelievable. Ignoring Kindred’s shock, Yeon-woo unfurled his Fire Wings and
dashed towards him again. Swish.

Kindred’s childlike face hardened and his only thought was to defeat that rookie.
Since he’d only targeted Edora to force Yeon-woo out, it would be good to end things
at this point. Whoosh! His Fiery Golden Eyes grew brighter, as if they were about to
burst into flame, and dark demonic energy with golden light shot around him.

〈Fiery Golden Eyes Black〉

〈Demonic Spirit〉

〈Possession - Monkey King〉

The black demonic energy and golden light combined, blazing violently. The
Heavenly Demon in the Devil Army’s legends was also the Dawn Demon who created
fire, and the power Kindred expressed was a spark the Dawn Demon had used called
Purefire.

Kindred pushed his hand forward, and the Purefire flowed along his body to his
fingertips, taking the form of a long club. It seemed he had created a substitute for
the pieces of the Ruyi Bang that Yeon-woo had stolen from him.

Purefire and Vigrid clashed against each other, creating another shockwave. Even
before the weapons touched, the Purefire gathered around Yeon-woo like will-o’-
wisps and transformed into clones of Kindred. It was the cloning technique the
Monkey King had used many times in the past. The Kindreds all shouted in one
voice: “I’ll kill you.” The Purefires grew sharp and pierced Yeon-woo, making him
look like a porcupine.

“Now!” At that moment, the Seven Member Squad, which had been watching from
the back, sprung to action. They hadn’t had any reason to interrupt the confrontation
between the Hoarder and the Devil Army, but now that they saw an opportunity.
Their main goal was Yeon-woo’s death, but now they also had a chance to get rid of
Demon Beauty Castle, who had been a nuisance.

However, before they could even get too far, the shadows under their feet suddenly
stretched out like taffy and transformed into a barrier. Clang!

「Guys, if you have a brain, you should use it. Do you think the temperamental king
here wouldn’t have expected this? Poor fellas.」 Shanon popped out from the
shadow and sent his Sword Breaker smashing down. Although he had a light
attitude, his attack was the complete opposite.

“Whup!” Uros just managed to block the blade, but Volcano erupted from the Sword
Breaker, wrapping him in flames with an extraordinary power. At the same time,
tentacles of darkness grew from the ground and lashed around.

“Aack!”

“What is this…?”

The Seven Member Squad was befuddled. At that moment, another shadow shot out
of the flames, and Hanryeong appeared, tossing his nine swords in the air and
beginning his sword dance.

“The Saber God?”

The ones who recognized the Grave of the Nine Swords of the deceased Saber God
turned stiff. Since the Seven Member Squad were the Elohim’s special forces, they
had experience with the Saber God’s unbelievable sword dance while the
Cheonghwado still existed. Still, to protect their honor as the Seven Member Squad,
they got into formation against Hanryeong.

Rebecca quietly descended over their heads. Rumble.

[The Spirit Guai, Jik, has taken care of player Yeoncham.]

[The Spirit Guai, Hon, has taken care of player Arsen.]

As the Lion Alliance dealt with the Flood Dragon and the Elohim with the familiars,
Yeon-woo faded away after being impaled by dozens of Purefires. The Kindred clones
began to look around, as though they had expected it. ‘Fiery Golden Eyes can trace
the truth. Quick movements like Blink leave traces of magic power behind, so it’ll be
easy to… ’ Pewk! Before Kindred could even finish his thoughts, the head of the clone
farthest from him blew up.

“There!” The other Kindreds reacted at the same time and shot their Purefires in the
same direction. They stretched out like the Ruyi Bang of legend towards Yeon-woo,
but he quickly stepped on Blink again, cutting the clone closest to him before
vanishing again.

“You rat! How dare you!” Bang! Kindred’s clones tried their best to catch Yeon-woo,
but he disappeared and reappeared like a ghost, eliminating the clones one by one.
His use of Wind Path and Blink were too quick and complicated for Kindred to track,
and Kindred grew frustrated. Purefire and Demonic Spirit were only effective if he
managed to land a blow on Yeon-woo, and he was vexed to feel like he was missing
each time.

[Cernunnos silently watches you.]

[Vimalacitra looks contentedly at the turbulent battlefield.]

Then, the Blood Land players soon appeared.

“The enemies are there. Everyone, help Cain and push them away!”

“Follow His Highness!”

“Protect His Highness!”

Duke Tuan Tien, Prince Domo, and his bodyguards began to strike the Devil Army
and the others at the fringes of the battle. Although the duke looked mild-mannered,
his attacks were fierce and quickly demonstrated why he was the deputy
commander of the Blood Land. His hand tore out space wherever it reached, and
players dropped like flies.

Prince Domo contributed effectively, as well. He led the bodyguards as he shouted

“Help Cain!” and “Protect Cain as you would protect me!”

Kindred didn’t understand what was going on. He knew the Blood Land was close to
Yeon-woo, but he didn’t think they were foolish enough to antagonize the Devil Army
and the Elohim while they were in the middle of war with White Dragon.
Furthermore, unlike the Gluttony Emperor, who was known for his impulsivity, Duke
Tuan Tien was known as the brains of the Blood Land. And yet he was here
committing a bloodbath. The Blood Land didn’t seem to care about the consequences
at all.

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo attacked Kindred more quickly, and black flames waved
around him.

[Wind Path - Gust]

[Wave of Fire]

[Heaven Bracket - Lightning Strike]

Vigrid’s increased speed cut Kindred’s Purefires, and its blade just barely missed
Kindred’s heart.

“No way…!”

“Why not?” Yeon-woo smirked at the visibly shocked Kindred. “Yes way.”

The ranks of the clones began to thin out.

“Damn it… urk!”

Slash!

“How…!”

“Is…!”

“This…!

“Happening… urk!”

Pewk. Yeon-woo bent over backwards to avoid a slash to the throat and used Blink to
escape the attacks to his head. Whenever an attack targeted his blindspot, he turned
his body in the opposite direction and cut the Purefire with Vigrid. Kindred couldn’t
get a single strike in. Yeon-woo avoided them all as he cut the clones’ throats,
stabbed them, and crushed them. Kindred was overwhelmingly irritated as the
clones died off one by one.

“Shit!” The furious clone disappeared as well when Vigrid pierced through his
forehead with the Eight Extreme Swords, Secret Skill Classification.

As he’d built up battle experience in Tartarus, Yeon-woo had combined the Eight
Secret Skills of the Eight Extreme Swords, creating different applications and mixing
them with Heaven Bracket to improve them. This prompted Hanryeong to say that
Yeon-woo had reached an advanced expert level in sword techniques.
Since Kindred only focused his skill on firepower, he couldn’t follow Yeon-woo’s
movements. Soon, only one clone was left, and Vigrid managed to stab him in the
chest. Pewk!

“Urk!” Kindred was pushed back until he bumped against a firm object. He suddenly
felt a burning pain on his right shoulder as the Flood Dragon violently tore at his
arm. He’d backed into the Flood Dragon. Krrrng!

“Dammit!” Kindred felt his last bit of reason snap. He reached out and grabbed the
Flood Dragon’s jaw and cruelly tore it off. Blood and flesh spattered through the air
and turned into black ashes from the heat.

“I’ll kill you…!” Kindred ground his teeth as he glared at Yeon-woo. The flames of the
Purefire healed his injuries, but his overwhelming rage didn’t lessen. He’d been
humiliated all the times he’d confronted Yeon-woo—at the Five Mountains of
Penances, Sesha’s kidnapping, Walpurgisnacht—and he’d been itching to redeem
himself. The fact that he couldn’t even stand toe to toe with Yeon-woo made him boil
over with anger. “I’ll kill…!” However, Kindred’s fury didn’t last much longer when a
strange hand suddenly burst out of his chest, reaching towards Yeon-woo and
steaming with demonic energy.

Yeon-woo quickly moved back in surprise, his Fire Wings beating quickly.

『It seems I’ll have to take it from here. Rest.』 A voice growled, and a darkness
spread from Kindred’s chest and swallowed up his entire body until it began to take
on another form. It was an old man, his hands clasped behind his back.

Yeon-woo’s eyes darkened. The demonic energy that emanated from the man wasn’t
normal.

“This is the first time we’ve met, yes?” The old man smiled warmly at Yeon-woo.
However, Yeon-woo also noticed that the old man’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, which
remained sharp.

It was true that they hadn’t met before, but Yeon-woo immediately recognized him.
He would never forget those eyes, and he had to force back his instinctive urge to
unfurl his Sky Wings.

The old man smiled in response. It was the leader of the Devil Army himself.
For a brief moment, Yeon-woo analyzed the difference in power between himself and
the Head Bishop.

[Time Difference]

The Head Bishop was one of the strongest players in the Tower, and he would be too
difficult for Yeon-woo to handle with the power he currently had. He was confident
that he wouldn’t lose, but he wasn’t sure he’d win, either.

He thought back to the time when the bishop had descended into Doyle’s body. He’d
been very strong then, and now that he was appearing in his actual body, Yeon-woo
would probably have to open Sky Wings and release all his powers to even have a
shot at victory. For a moment, he contemplated revealing his full power to take care
of the Head Bishop. ‘No. Not yet.’

He might have considered it if they were fighting one on one, but with all the eyes
watching them, he needed to hide his power as best as he could. He would open his
Sky Wings when it was the right moment to take off his mask. It wasn’t time yet. ‘All
else aside, if the Head Bishop also has a hidden card up his sleeve… ’

From what Yeon-woo knew, the Head Bishop could barely move at this point as his
body continued to crumble after being rejected as the Heavenly Demon’s official
Apostle. Yeon-woo believed that was the reason why he’d tried to take over the
Heavenly Demon’s other aspect, the Monkey King, and enter Doyle to take over his
body. However, the Head Bishop looked perfectly healthy now. There was no
indication of his body’s imminent destruction, even when Yeon-woo observed him
with his Draconic Divine Eyes.

He was near perfect, which was impossible unless the Heavenly Demon had decided
to acknowledge him. It meant one thing.

‘Did he discover some method?’ While Yeon-woo was in Tartarus, the Head Bishop
had found a solution. Yeon-woo didn’t know what it was, but if the Head Bishop had
regained his strength, Yeon-woo couldn’t afford to take him lightly. Of the Nine Kings,
the bishop was the only one strong enough to be compared to the Martial King.

However, since he had appeared, Yeon-woo couldn’t just walk past him either. Just as
he was considering his next move, the Head Bishop suddenly appeared in front of
him. “What are you thinking about?”

Yeon-woo’s eyes widened as he quickly spread his Fire Wings to create a distance
between them. His quick-flowing time cracked like glass.

“Your reaction time is impressive, as are your instincts. Very good.” The Head Bishop
chuckled lightly as he looked on the wary Yeon-woo.

Yeon-woo’s back dripped with sweat as he retreated. ‘He followed my flow of

thinking?’

Time Difference allowed its user to quicken their speed of thinking to help them
assess a situation. It was now Yeon-woo’s signature ability, and hardly anyone could
catch up to the speed of his thinking, apart from superior divine beings like Athena
and Mother Earth.

They had a different concept of time from ordinary players, and so they found it easy
to interfere. However, the Head Bishop was definitely not a divine being, even though
his power was greater than those of the lower divine beings from Tartarus. However,
he was hardly the equal of superior divine beings. How was it possible?

“Do you want to know?” The Head Bishop smiled faintly as if he knew what Yeon-
woo was thinking. “I’ve temporarily left the god who abandoned me and received
help from his friends. Thankfully, they listened to my pleas.”

Friends? Wishes? These were mysterious words, but it was clear that the Head
Bishop had contacted something powerful enough to allow him to move around like
this. “I can’t tell you the details right now. But since it’s you, I don’t mind answering a
few questions. I like you a lot. Will you join us?” He extended a hand towards Yeon-
woo. The battlefield was still in pandemonium with the jumble of multiple forces,
but time flowed around him in a tranquil manner as though it had frozen.

Yeon-woo snorted, lifting a corner of his mouth. “You don’t like me. You’re only after
the potential of the Heavenly demon.” Yeon-woo had crushed the Head Bishop’s
plans and swallowed the Monkey King in his stead. That meant if Yeon-woo so
desired, he could become another aspect of the Heavenly Demon. He was a vessel
that the Devil Army would want more than Doyle.

“Oh dear. You noticed?” The Head Bishop took back his hand as though he were
embarrassed and scratched his temple. Then, he smirked and clasped his hands
behind his back again. “Then you must know why I’m here.” As soon as he finished
speaking, the Head Bishop suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of Yeon-
woo. Boom!

Then, he spread his palm open and brought it down. However, Yeon-woo calmly
thrust Vigrid up, and black Aura collided with the Head Bishop’s demonic energy and
exploded. Columns of flames from Wave of Fire soared to the sky, but the Head
Bishop waved his hand gently and pushed it away. At the same time, he stretched his
other hand forward, his sleeves fluttering as the shadows of his hand multiplied.
They approached Yeon-woo, looming over him, each one with the power to shatter
mountains.

Yeon-woo didn’t face the shadows directly. Instead, he unfurled his Fire Wings with
Blink and Wind Path and distanced himself even more.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done speaking.” The Head Bishop
attempted to approach Yeon-woo, closing the gap between them.

“Sorry.” Yeon-woo just smirked. “I’m not the one who needs to speak to you right
now.”

The Head Bishop stopped chasing Yeon-woo and looked up to see something large
falling from the sky like a meteor. Boom! The Head Bishop quickly raised his hand
and flicked the object away. Although he was strong enough to push away Yeon-
woo’s wave of fire, the object, which looked like a giant ball of flesh, only jiggled as it
bounced away, landing not too far from where he was standing.

The ball of flesh turned out to be the greasy-faced Gluttony Emperor, who licked his
lips as he looked at the Head Bishop. He shook himself lightly and began to
transform. Crunch, crunch. His flesh grew firm and then was pulled tight as he
became an emaciated man with sunken eyes. It was hard to believe he had just been
the roly-poly Gluttony Emperor.

The Gluttony Emperor smiled with his teeth bared and shouted. “Who dares behave
so rudely to my friend? What a nasty person.” With the Gluttony Emperor’s
transformation, loud drum rolls echoed from the fringes. Thump, thump, thump. The
Blood-Scented Battle Drums thundered whenever the Blood Land’s army marched in
war. Past the drumbeats, the military song soared.

The Head Bishop turned his head in their direction and frowned before looking back
at the Gluttony Emperor. “Are you saying you’ll go to war with us?” He realized that
the Gluttony Emperor’s sudden appearance was something Yeon-woo had planned
with the Blood Land.

“Why not?”

“I heard that White Dragon is in the middle of beating you all up.”

“Hahaha! Victories and defeats are common in war! Even if we lose the battle, it
won’t matter if we win the war!”

The Head Bishop looked from the Gluttony Emperor to Yeon-woo as the emperor
laughed maniacally.

“You’re thinking of raising the stakes because things are already messy and prevent
any one group from making a move. Are you planning a great war?”

“Think what you want. Now, shall we see how much the meat of religious fanatics
has ripened? Keekeekee!”

“The ghosts of the fallen empire are maliciously influencing the living in modern
times. They must be removed through any means.”

The two hurled themselves at each other. Boom. While everyone was frightened by
the sudden collision between the Nine Kings, Yeon-woo reached Edora.

“Oraboni.”

“Let’s leave this place to them and get out of here.” Yeon-woo held Edora by the waist
as he spread his Fire Wings. Just moments ago, she had been fighting violently, but in
Yeon-woo’s arms, her cheeks flushed slightly.

Rumble! Various battles were still ongoing.

「Leaving after causing trouble. Whew. There’s no one like our master.」 He could
hear Shanon’s teasing, but like always, Yeon-woo ignored it and left the battlefield.

***

“Damned fools.” Anastasia swept her hair back and cursed Yeon-woo. She didn’t
know why the most annoying things always happened whenever he was involved.

“Master.” Victoria, who had been helping Anastasia, carefully called her.

Anasatasia clucked her tongue, thinking if it wasn’t for Victoria, she wouldn’t be so
involved in the Tower’s matters. She shook her head. “No.”

“That’s…!”

“Why is that!?”

Kahn raised his head with an outraged expression. Anastasia scowled. If there was
someone who annoyed her as much as Yeon-woo, it was this one right here. The guy
that muddled her one-and-only disciple’s head. Anastasia promised herself that she
would blast him away if he acted impertinently one more time, no matter how much
her disciple tried to stop her. She looked down at the patient she had just examined.
Doyle lay in bed with a pale face. “What do you guys think Channels are? Antennas
that can easily be attached and removed?”

“I…”

“The disturbance of the Channels connected to this child is too severe. He’s already
had one Channel ripped from him, and it hasn’t even healed yet, but to force another
one off? This child’s soul won’t remain intact.” Anastasia snorted at the shocked
Kahn and Victoria. “Furthermore, the beings connected to this child seem to be high
and mighty fellas. Beats me how he found them. Others would kill to have a Channel
with just one of them. Tsk.”

First, it had been the Heavenly Demon, and now, it was Mother Earth. It would be
completely expected for a mere mortal’s soul to be blown apart just from the
connection to these beings. Anastasia didn’t say any more.

She knew better than anyone else what the dangers of divine beings were. It was the
reason why she had used “fellas” despite knowing that many gods and demons were
looking in their direction. It was related to the past she had hidden from everyone,
but she didn’t mention it.

“There must be a way if we think about it together.” Kahn’s eyelashes quivered. After
enduring so many rough experiences, he thought that he could finally relax, and he
never imagined this would happen again. He didn’t know if bright days would ever
appear in their future, and it pained him. Victoria rubbed Kahn’s back, feeling sorry
for him.

Whoosh. Anastasia thought to herself as she let out a long breath of smoke. ‘What a
load of bullshit.’ She’d seen this happen so often that she wasn’t even affected
anymore. But at the thought she’d have to continue watching their ridiculousness,
she sighed and put her pipe down. “It’s not completely impossible. It’ll be hard, but
there’s a way.”

“What is it?”

“We need to find a replacement.”

“Replacement…?”

“All we need is someone who can take the place of the Heavenly Demon and Mother
Earth. But do you think it’ll be easy to find a being like that?”

Instantly, Kahn and Victoria’s eyes met as the same person popped in their minds at
the same time. ‘Cain!’

They knew Yeon-woo had succeeded to the throne of death from Hades. Although he
hadn’t achieved exuviation or transcendence yet, he had the qualifications. Moreover,
there was that being who had borrowed Yeon-woo’s body when dealing with
Allforone. It was the being that had given Yeon-woo invincible strength. They
guessed that it was still inside of Yeon-woo. Wouldn’t it be possible for Yeon-woo to
replace the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth?

It would be difficult, but it was worth a try.

“And it would be best to search for that replacement right away. I’ve forced this child
to sleep like this, but no one knows when he’ll wake up. And when he does, he might
not be the child you remember anymore.”
There wasn’t much time. Kahn and Victoria looked at each other and nodded with
heavy expressions.
“The Regiment Leader is out?” Creutz brightened at the news the First Squad’s vice
commander, Lil, brought. As soon as he had ascended from Tartarus, he requested to
meet the Regiment Leader upon his return to the Fantasy Regiment.

However, Lil had told him not to expect too much because the Regiment Leader was
focusing on enlightenment and it had been a while since they had heard from him,
too. Still, Creutz said that he’d wait until he received a response.

Yeon-woo seemed to have no inclination to visit the Fantasy Regiment. If people

needed him, they could go find him. In the meantime, it was time for the Fantasy
Regiment to decide on their stance when it came to Yeon-woo.

From what Creutz had seen during the time he’d stayed by Yeon-woo’s side, the
Tower would be centered on Yeon-woo in the future. Whether they wanted to
become his enemy or his ally, they had to take an unambiguous position. Personally,
he thought it would be better to become Yeon-woo’s ally, even if it could have
dangerous consequences.

He had waited patiently for a response until he heard news about trouble erupting
on the fiftieth floor. Then, a sense of urgency overcame him. Fortunately, Lil had
shown up with her response just in time.

However, Lil seemed displeased. She knew how important this time was to the
Regiment Leader, and she thought of Creutz as a pest. “Yes. Since you’ve been so
insistent, he said that he would make time for you and come out of the training area
for a while. You have to use the time you have with him wisely. You fully understand
how important this time is for the Regiment Leader, right?”

Creutz nodded solemnly. He had seen himself how much the Regiment Leader had
prepared to go into secluded training.

“Then follow me. I’ll take you there now.”

Creutz followed Lili to a cave which had multiple security systems in place. You could
only reach the center after passing through several complicated procedures.

“As much as possible, refrain from speaking impolitely to the Regiment Leader. Our
leader seems significantly exhausted already.” When they reached the last
checkpoint, Lil activated the equipment on the wall as she warned him. The wall of
the cave moved to reveal a man sitting quietly in lotus position with his eyes closed.
He seemed frail, like a scholar, but the aura he emanated was out of the ordinary. The
man slowly opened his eyes, which flashed through the darkness.

***

[All restoration is finished.]

[Mother Earth has been designated as a virus, and all remaining energy belonging to
her has disappeared. The stage can now function properly again.]

The trembling stage of the thirty-sixth floor quietly settled down, almost completely
normal after the mess caused by the clash of two great beings.

“Ugh. It had to be a guy like him.”

The Guardians looked fatigued. They had run around busily restoring the stage
without any sleep because the impact of the descent of Allforone’s true body had
been so great. The thought of it happening again left them even more exhausted.
Now that Yeon-woo had accepted the Black King’s powers, Allforone’s wariness of
him meant that their conflict would continue to affect the Tower’s fate.

“Where has Yvlke gone?”

“Where else do you think? He probably went to chat.”

“Ugh. He’s bold.”

Yvlke walked somewhere, ignoring the other Guardians’ words as his “ohyohyo”
laugh boomed. Up ahead, a shadow with a vaguely human form was getting ready. It
was difficult to see it clearly because a fog obscured most of it.

“It’s quite a shame you can’t die even though you wish to.”
Allforone turned around at Yvlke’s words, pausing his preparation of Shukuchi. A
brief moment of silence passed between the two of them. Yvlke could feel Allforone’s
sharp gaze, but he didn’t show anything and maintained a smiling expression.
However, that smile didn’t reach his eyes.

『What are you saying?』

“Ohyo ohyo. What else would it be? I’m wondering if the time you have been longing
for has finally come. Isn’t the Black King good enough?”

『I don’t know what you’re talking about.』 With those words, Allforone
disappeared. He had sensed the pressure coming from the creator gods and
progenitor gods growing stronger on the seventy-seventh floor now that the wall
was weaker.

Yvlke smirked as he pushed his monocle up. He’d noticed the quaver in Allforone’s
voice.

***

While the Gluttony Emperor was clashing with the Head Bishop and Yeon-woo was
escaping with Edora, Duke Tuan Tien and Prince Domo led his bodyguards out of the
battlefield.

‘Things seem to be going according to plan for now.’ Duke Tuan Tien nodded with
satisfaction. The first step of the plan to find Kalatus’ grave he had set up with Yeon-
woo was now completed. The Lion Alliance, the Elohim, and the Devil Army had
moved to catch Yeon-woo, but the tides had turned when Blood Land jumped in.

With the involvement of the Gluttony Emperor, White Dragon would be pulled in one
direction, Black Dragon’s focus would turn back to them. On top of that, it was
apparent that the Fantasy Regiment and One-horned tribe were ready to act, as well.
With all these groups involved, it was certain that other groups would also begin to
take interest, and chaos would spread in an instant.

‘The flames are being ignited in different directions. If news of Kalatus’ grave is
added as a fuel to the fire… ’ Duke Tuan Tien’s eyes flashed. ‘Everything will explode.’

The plan Yeon-woo had proposed was very simple: to bring as many competing
groups to the fiftieth floor as possible and push them towards Kalatus’ grave. It was
only a matter of time before the grave would be found. Their strategy was to create a
confusing situation before that happened. ‘There’s no better place to confuse one’s
judgment than in muddy waters.’

They could take items for their gain and cause internal strife in other groups. Blood
Land may have been cornered, but now, they would not only turn the tables, but also
find the legacy that Kalatus had left behind.

Duke Tuan Tien calculated that they had a sixty-percent chance of success. However,
there was one thing he was concerned about.

“Haha! Master, did you see that? I never imagined a guy like that would ever exist! He
didn’t just clear through the floors in the forties but is toying with all these different
forces! Father’s insight is amazing!” Prince Domo had turned from Yeon-woo’s hater
to his fan in the span of a day, and he wouldn’t stop singing praises of Yeon-woo.
Seeing someone close to his age with such abilities didn’t make him jealous. Instead,
he considered Yeon-woo his role model.

‘His Highness is someone who will lead Blood Land in the future. He should be
envied by others, and the fact that he envies someone else… ’ Duke Tuan Tien
thought of Yeon-woo as someone who needed to be brought in as Blood Land’s
subordinate. If that wasn’t possible, he needed to be removed. Right now, he was still
weak, but he was too dangerous to simply keep as an ally. ‘We just need to squeeze
out what we can get.’ Thinking that he needed to scold Prince Domo soon, he quietly
stood. With a light breeze, Rebecca appeared faintly above him and silently scattered
again.

***

“Oraboni…” Edora hugged Yeon-woo tightly. Normally, she would have reined in her
emotions and only smiled in happiness, but the past few days had shaken her
composure. Why hadn’t she noticed that the Lion Alliance was following her? Getting
injured was one thing, but the fact that she was a burden to Yeon-woo bothered her.

Yeon-woo wordlessly patted her and hugged her back. He wanted her to know that
everything was fine now that he was there. Yeon-woo had missed Edora and Phante,
too. He was grateful that they had agreed to become his wings at once without any
hesitation.
He felt grateful that he’d managed to catch up to her and apologetic because it
seemed like she had gone through this horrible incident because of him.

「But technically, King Temper is the reason why our pretty Edora got hurt, mm?
Our master is definitely second to none in causing trouble for… 」 As Shanon
blabbered on again, the players of Demon Beauty Castle all looked surprised. They
had only ever seen Edora’s cold expression, so it was their first time seeing this side
of her.

Edora had received her nickname, Demon Beauty because she was merciless against
enemies and always seemed as distant as a flower growing on the side of a cliff. It
was a strange experience to see Edora acting like a woman in love.

“Demon Beauty Castle, am I right?”

They jumped to attention as Yeon-woo said their name.

“Y-yes.” Chatura nodded on everyone’s behalf. She was tense with nerves. Yeon-woo’s
appearance on the battlefield flashed through her mind—he had toyed with the
Head Bishop, who was like a natural disaster and used his familiars to stand against
the Elohim’s Seven Member Squad.

The Hoarder and Demon Beauty were both part of the New Stars, but from what
they’d seen, the Hoarder had already surpassed that level. He could stand shoulder
to shoulder with high rankers.

Although most of them were rankers too, they were definitely not high rankers.

“Thank you for helping Edora all this time.”

“We only did what…”

“Now, go back.”

Chatura frowned slightly. “What…”

“From now on, I’ll protect Edora, so your help isn’t needed.”

The expressions of Chatura and the other Demon Beauty Castle players stiffened.
“What are you talking about?! We’ve sworn our loyalty to Demon Beauty during…!”
“From what I heard, Edora didn’t pay too much attention to you. You followed her
and created an organization on your own. Didn’t you do it for your own
convenience?”

They were speechless.

“From now on, I’ll accompany Edora, so you should go back.”

Chatura ground her teeth. In other words, he was telling them to get out of his sight
because they were useless. The problem was that he was telling the truth. Demon
Beauty Castle was an organization that formed without Edora’s permission. And
after the attack by the Lion Alliance, their organization was destroyed and couldn’t
be rebuilt. They were nearly worthless now, but Chatura didn’t want to be pushed
away like this.

She and her comrades followed Edora for different reasons, but they all shared the
same passion to be with her. For a moment, she looked at Edora. Edora’s eyes had
darkened, and Chatura couldn’t read what Edora was thinking. They’d seen that
expression many times, but what did it mean?

“If Demon Beauty tells us to disappear, then we will do it, since we followed her even
though she didn’t give us permission. However…” Chatura paused, then continued
speaking again after glaring at Yeon-woo. “Even you cannot ignore what we’ve done
to protect Demon Beauty. We risked our lives to get here, so I think we have the right
to that.”

Chatura made clear she would only follow Edora’s commands. The others seemed to
agree, and they glared at Yeon-woo with hard eyes. Yeon-woo’s eyes gleamed behind
his mask, but they didn’t budge. After a while, Yeon-woo’s eyes curved, and he
chuckled. Psh.

Chatura and the others frowned, not understanding what was going on.

“Shanon.” At Yeon-woo’s call, black shadows next to Demon Beauty Castle popped up.
The players moved for their weapons, immediately on guard. They thought Yeon-
woo was trying to chase them away with force.

However, Yeon-woo only said to Shanon, “Follow them.”

Chatura said, “What are you doing?”

“You still fall short, but I’ll give you a chance.”

“What…!”

“Take him with you and gather your scattered members. I’ll make my evaluation of
you after.”

Chatura belatedly understood what he meant. He was planning to reorganize Demon

Beauty Castle into a proper one. “Under… stood.”

Although their eyes blazed with determination, Shanon grumbled. 「But why do I
have to go? You have Hanryeong and Boo, so…!」

“It’s your punishment for talking nonsense. You said I’m King Temper, hm? I should
live up to my title, then.”

「Dammit. What are you doing, morons? Move faster. You’re slow as snails!」
Shanon released his anger on the blameless Demon Beauty Castle as they moved to
look for survivors.

Yeon-woo pushed his hair back as he watched. ‘With this, the new game board is set.
It’ll be complete if those guys come… ’

Just then, a breeze fluttered and Rebecca quietly murmured something to him. After
becoming a complete spirit, she only expressed her thoughts and didn’t speak. Yeon-
woo raised a corner of his mouth. She’d brought simple news: “The Spring Queen has
appeared.”

White Dragon and Waltz had come to the fiftieth floor. The stage was set.

“Oraboni.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know Kalatus?”

When Edora said the unexpected name, Yeon-woo quickly turned to her. “How do
you know…?”

As soon as their eyes met, Yeon-woo discovered something asleep inside of him. A
nameless Channel suddenly strengthened and took over his consciousness in an
instant.

Swoosh.

When he opened his eyes again, a colossal dragon’s shadow that stretched hundreds
of meters looked down at him. 『Nice to meet you, dear speaker.』
Yeon-woo instantly recognized the creature in front of him. Although he was
shrouded by a shadow that made it difficult to see his appearance clearly, the
glowing yellow eyes that pierced through the darkness were familiar. These were the
same eyes his brother had seen countless times in his diary, the owner of the
Channel that had been quietly observing him for a long time.

“Yes… so you’re alive, Kalatus.” Yeon-woo’s eyes widened at the unexpected meeting.
To think that he would meet Kalatus here, when he thought he’d have to go to the
Dragon Temple first to see him. He never imagined that Kalatus would contact him
through Edora.

The ancient dragon Kalatus narrowed his eyes, and a rueful, self-deprecating laugh
seemed to float out of an area that seemed to be his mouth. 『If this condition can be
described as alive… 』 His eyes curved up. 『Still, it seems you already found that
child. And it seems like he’s sleeping quietly right now. That’s a relief.』

Kalatus’ gaze was fixed on Yeon-woo’s chest where he kept the pocket watch. He was
looking at Jeong-woo.

“So you were the one who sent Jeong…!”

『I’m sorry, but I need to cut you off. I have to get to the point quickly because
there’s not much time left.』 Kalatus’ shadow faded for a moment and his voice
seemed to crackle in and out. Why was his connection so choppy? 『You should
come here as soon as you can. Hurry.』

Crackle. His voice started to break up like staticky radio. 『There’s something I must
give you. Before they come.』 Crackle. 『Qu… ick…!』 After those words, Kalatus
silently vanished.

Yeon-woo was flung out of the Channel and brought back to reality.
“Ora… boni.” Edora’s blurry eyes refocused. She must have also seen his meeting
with Kalatus, because she looked surprised. “What was that just now?”

“It appears Kalatus wanted to tell me something through you.”

“You do know him?”

“A little bit, through my brother.”

“Oh.”

Yeon-woo was deep in thought for a moment, Kalatus’ words echoing in his head.
Hurry. He could understand that. It was probably Kalatus’ vestige that had contacted
Yeon-woo, not the true Kalatus. However, he didn’t understand what he meant by the
phrase “before they come”.

What did that mean? Was someone getting in Kalatus’ way?

“Then I suppose you should hurry.”

“Yeah, probab—”

Suddenly, before he could finish, Edora reached out to take his mask off. Yeon-woo
was blank for a moment. Was his mask supposed to come off this easily? He instantly
thought of the culprit who must have played this trick on him: Henova.

Before he could react, Edora quickly put her lips on his. It was an unexpected peck.
Edora smiled shyly at Yeon-woo’s widened eyes. “Thank you. I mean it.”

There was a pause and Yeon-woo looked at Edora, who was too pretty at that
moment. “Edora.”

“Yes?”

“You’re not going to stop there, right?”

“That’s… aack!” As her eyes widened adorably, he pulled her close and kissed her.

***
“My dear daughter. You are the only one who might satisfy my old grudge.”

The Spring Queen, Waltz, recalled her mother’s words. She could always hear her
voice clearly whenever she closed her eyes. Her mother always looked up to the sky
and promised to her ancestors that she’d resolve their resentment. The Summer
Queen had stroked Waltz’s hair as she told her that if something went wrong and she
wasn’t successful, she would leave things to Waltz.

After these memories came the ones of her mother dying from the bolts of lightning
that fell from the sky. The Hoarder was there, too—the foe she had to kill one day, as
well as the Martial King.

Creak. She came to her senses as the carriage stopped. Waltz slowly opened her eyes
as the door swung open.

“My liege.”

“I’m coming out.” Supported by her subordinate, Waltz exited the carriage with
elegant, majestic steps. Then, she wrinkled her nose at the familiar smell that blew in
her face, one that she’d encountered many times recently: the scent of a bloody
battlefield.

It was a scent she had smelled too many times recently.

“The Head Bishop and Alliance Master are already waiting.”

Waltz nodded and followed the guide into the battlefield. Players from the old
Eighty-One Oculus trailed after her. They desired to continue the legacy of Red
Dragon with Waltz at their head. Although their number had shrunk, each of the ten
players had a threatening aura. People around them backed away with frightened
expressions, and it was clear why they were still high up in the rankings of the Eight
Clans.

“We’re here.” The guide stopped in front of a large tent.

“Wait here.” Waltz gave a short command to her subordinates and entered the tent,
where three men sat around a large table. Iron Lion Ivan glared at her threateningly
while the Head Bishop smiled affectionately like a kindly old neighbor. The last
person was one of the three consul members that led the Elohim, Roman Dictator
Magnus.
“I didn’t know such a familiar face would be here.”

Magnus frowned at Waltz. Waltz and the Elohim had an enmity, and three consul
members had died because of her. The Elohim had suffered a lot of damage, while
Waltz managed to immediately take over the Summer Queen’s empty spot among the
Nine Kings. It wouldn’t be unusual for them to start fighting as soon as they saw each
other.

However, Magnus just snorted, as though he didn’t even want to respond. He didn’t
have any intention to discuss past events. The Elohim was in a truly desperate
situation, and they needed to fight back. In fact, he wasn’t even supposed to be there.

Magnus was an old hero who had saved the Elohim from a quagmire and, with Thor’s
Apostle Hyatt, led them to their present glory. He was strong enough to be
mentioned in the same breath as the Nine Kings, but he had recently retired, leaving
everything to the next generation. He’d been enjoying a relaxing life in the country,
but the Elohim was now facing an unprecedentedly dangerous situation.

They temporarily abolished the three-member consul system that was created for
the purpose of checks and balances, and brought back an authoritarian system that
focused power on just one person. Magnus had been invited to take up that role.

Magnus hadn’t been interested in returning to the corrupt world, but he couldn’t
refuse his descendants’ desperate pleas. He’d ignored Waltz’s provocation
nonchalantly because the Summer Queen’s daughter was nothing more than a young
child to him.

The Head Bishop greeted Waltz. “Welcome. It must have been a difficult journey
considering how far away you were.” The Head Bishop beckoned for her to take an
empty seat.

However, Waltz just looked at it indifferently and spoke to the Head Bishop without
any intention of sitting down. “There’s someone completely useless here. Why is he
here?”

“Oh dear. What are you saying? How can we pursue the world in such a black-and-
white way? The Heavenly Demon loves all creatures as they all have his touch…”

“I don’t have time to listen to your sermon. Get to the point.”

The Head Bishop smiled faintly. “I’m saying he’s useful, too. He’ll help fill out our
numbers and to be bait. If necessary, we can use him as firewood, too. It will make
things easier.”

“That’s true, too.”

Ivan clenched his fist as the two—as well as the nodding Magnus—talked. Only a fool
wouldn’t understand whom they referred to as useful bait. Even though he was right
there, they were blatantly talking about using him.

Unfortunately, Ivan didn’t have the power to protest against them. The Lion Alliance
was the combination of many famous clans, but they couldn’t be compared to the
Eight Clans. Above all, Ivan, their leader, was definitely not strong enough to be one
of the Nine Kings. The only reason he was part of the meeting was that he had
arranged it.

The Head Bishop, Waltz, and Magnus didn’t think of Ivan as an equal. He was just a
servant who served a purpose. Technically, only two people’s opinions mattered.

“Fine. The conditions are simple.”

“That’s what I wanted.”

“We can’t bother each other.” Waltz’s eyes blazed. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

The Head Bishop smirked. “You’re saying we should walk our own paths.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“Of course not.”

“How neat.” The silent Magnus finally added a few words. The Head Bishop patted
the table in satisfaction and stood. “Then I’ll take my leave now that the discussion is
over. I have lots to prepare.” As he left, the bishops quietly waiting outside followed
him with bowed heads. Magnus also quietly got up and led Uros and the Seven
Member Squad away. Waltz also left through the door she’d entered with the Oculus.

The meeting ended without Ivan getting a single moment to speak. He clenched his
teeth. Grind!
 ***

Yeon-woo climbed the mountain with light steps after spending the night
unexpectedly with Edora. He’d left quietly so he wouldn’t disturb her, but she was
already up and splashing ankle-deep in the stream.

“You’re here?” She greeted him with a welcoming smile. Was it because of what
happened the night before? She seemed more energetic than usual. Yeon-woo found
himself chuckling. Although Edora couldn’t see his face through the mask, she could
tell what expression he had on his face from the sound of his laughter.

“When did you wake up?”

“It hasn’t been that long. I guess you’ve just come back from somewhere.”

“Yes, the market out front. I needed to stretch and get some food.”

“What do you have?”

Yeon-woo raised his hand and stopped Edora from coming closer. “I’ll make you
something soon, so just wait.”

He was going to cook for her? Oraboni himself? She hadn’t ever seen Yeon-woo cook
except for when he made Sesha’s food, and her eyes widened.

Yeon-woo grinned as he pulled out his cooking equipment from a subspace. Then, he
began to clean the ingredients he’d found on the mountain.

Edora left the stream, clasping her hands behind her back as she prowled around
Yeon-woo, peeking at what he was doing.

He was frying something in a large wok over an intense fire, but she had no idea
what it was. As a member of royalty, she never had to cook , so the only ingredients
she recognized were vinegar and sugar.

He sliced pork thinly, mixing it with some starch before frying it in oil. She followed
him around curiously as the smell began to waft in the air. However, Yeon-woo told
her to sit down, so she had to stay back.

Soon, he placed two dishes in front of her. One contained fried pork, the other a thick
sauce. Edora cocked her head to one side. She’d never seen them before. “What is
this?”

“Something called tangsuyuk.”

“Tangsuyuk?”

“It has a nice, savory taste.”

“How do you eat it?”

“Hold the meat with this and dip it in the sauce.”

Yeon-woo gave Edora some chopsticks. She fumbled with them as she picked up a
piece of meat, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in her mouth. It was hot but after she
blew on it a few times, it cooled down to a nice temperature. “Ah.”

Nibble, nibble. Her eyes widened after she chewed a couple of times.

“How is it?”

“Delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Yeon-woo’s eyes curved under his mask.

“It’s savory and sweet, and the sauce is so good. So is the texture of the meat.” Edora
ate a few more pieces and smiled shyly. “I never thought I’d ever eat a meal you made
for me. You’re good at cooking, just as I thought.”

“Only some dishes. It’s not much.”

“But it’s still amazing that you can do this much.” Edora put another piece in her
mouth and smiled happily. “It’s like we’re newlyweds, right?”

Yeon-woo wordlessly stroked Edora’s head. She closed her eyes at his touch.
“Oraboni, I think you’ve changed a lot during the time we haven’t seen each other.”

“Really?”

“Yes. In the past, it was like you were being chased by something… but now, it’s like
you’re more relaxed. Like you’ve been relieved of a burden. Something like that.”

Yeon-woo thought she might be right. Crossing Tartarus, reuniting with his brother,
and making friends one by one had changed something inside him.

“Will you tell me what happened?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Even better. We have good food, too.”

Looking at her bright smile, Yeon-woo sat across from Edora.

“But Oraboni, dipping the meat in the sauce seems too plain. How about just mixing
it in?”

“No…!” Yeon-woo tried to stop her, but Edora already poured the sauce over the
pork. It was reminiscent of the battle back home between those who dipped the
meat and those who poured the sauce over the meat.

Crunch, crunch. “Yup. It tastes better because it’s blended together!”

Kalatus had told Yeon-woo to find him as soon as possible. However, it was
impossible to get through the Dragon Labyrinth without preparation, and Yeon-woo
needed time. The first step in his plan was to tap forces like Blood Land. The more
forces appeared, the easier it would be to subjugate everyone. He had to wait for the
fruit to ripen first.

What happened between him and Edora was a result of his heightened emotions and
relief. He hadn’t expected it to happen, but that didn’t mean their relationship would
drastically change. As always, they would take care of each other.

***

Edora listened with interest at the stories Yeon-woo told her. She was happy to hear
he’d finally met Jeong-woo and cried when she heard about Mother Earth’s
appearance in Tartarus and the mess she made. “I’ve seen Allforone before.”

“Allforone?” He hadn’t expected that, and he looked at her in surprise.

“Yes. I was very young, and it was only a glance. He visited my father once.” Edora
had never forgotten because the village had been in an uproar. “Actually, I don’t
remember what he looked like. He probably used some magic that interferes with
identification. Still, I remember his aura clearly because it was strange.”

“His aura?”

“Yes. It was very unique. He stood in an aloof manner, but it seemed like he was also
in trouble.” Edora described her impression of Allforone. “Like… somehow he
wanted to fall, as though he were deeply exhausted. It was something like that.”

“Mmm.” Yeon-woo thought for a moment. Allforone in trouble—it was too different
from his experience and so it was hard for him to picture it. However, Edora’s Insight
was outstanding, and even at a young age, she could already view someone’s essence
clearly. Her impression of Allforone could possibly be accurate.
‘I don’t know.’ Yeon-woo swept his hair back. It occurred to him that the Allforone he
and his brother had experienced might be different from what he was really like. ‘But
that doesn’t mean anything will change.’ It didn’t matter either way. Allforone was
still a wall he had to climb to reach the peak of the Tower. Of course, there were
other walls he had to climb first before then.

“Oraboni, do you have more of this? It’s so good.” Edora looked at the empty plate
with wistful eyes.

“There’s plenty left, so eat as much as you want. But next time, just dip the meat in
the sauce. If you pour it over the meat, it’ll become sticky when it cools.”

“But if you pour it in, the sauce mixes with the fried meat well. I want to eat it like
that!”

Yeon-woo watched her eat Tangsuyuk with the pouring method and sighed. “I also
made some coffee, do you want some?”

***

That night, Yeon-woo and Edora met the Gluttony Emperor.

“Hahaha! My comrade! The friend I’ve been waiting for! Why have you only shown
up now? Do you know how much I’ve missed you?” The Gluttony Emperor burst out
in laughter and ran towards Yeon-woo. He had returned to his chubby form and his
face was greasy as always.

Yeon-woo was about to hug him back, but two crossed blades suddenly appeared
between them.

“What is the meaning of this Duke Moglay! Duke Tarbing!”

The owners of the swords were the Nan—chaos—and Shin—godly—of Guai Ruk
Nan Shin: Duke Moglay and Duke Tarbing.

“Please forgive us, Your Majesty.”

“However, there’s something we must first hear from this man.”

Before the Gluttony Emperor could shout at them further, Duke Tarbing knelt and
bowed his head. In the meantime, Duke Moglay narrowed his eyes at Yeon-woo. “Sir
Cain. Depending on your answer, we will put our lives on the line to dissuade the
king from being close to you.”

Yeon-woo looked between Duke Moglay and Duke Tarbing, then nodded
dispassionately. “As you wish.”

“Because of this chessboard that you’ve set up, we’ve entered a situation with no
escape. We are now enemies not only with White Dragon, but also with the Elohim.
However, the plan you’ve proposed is too simple. How are you going to balance the
disparity in strength?”

Edora glowered at him, but Yeon-woo stopped her. He replied without any concern,
“What if the Fantasy Regiment has expressed their intent to participate, and Demon
Beauty Castle will soon gather their forces to join?”

Duke Moglary scoffed. “Ridiculous! You think groups of ruffians will be able to close
the gap? They’ll be ended by the Lion Alliance.”

“It’s not just those two.” Yeon-woo smirked. “You have me too.”

“What…!”

Clang! As soon as Yeon-woo finished speaking, a shadow soared up from the ground
and brought down the sword Duke Moglay was holding. At the same time, another
sword emerged and reached Duke Moglay’s neck. 「Don’t move. The moment you
do, your head will fall off.」 Hanryeong stood behind him.

‘When?’ It had happened in an instant. Duke Moglay’s eyes widened. He was also an
outstanding swordsman, but he hadn’t read Hanryeong’s movements at all.

Yeon-woo spoke coldly to the stiff Duke Moglay. “You are probably aware that I’m a
Lord with Shadow Familiars. I think this is enough to see the plan through, even if
the numbers aren’t equal. Fair?”

Since Yeon-woo’s familiar had managed to block his attack, Duke Moglary
acknowledged his defeat. “Forgive my rudeness.” Kashing! He straightened and
returned his sword to its sheath. Hanryeong moved a step back, glaring at him, and
disappeared in the shadows again.
When Duke Tarbing also moved away, the Gluttony Emperor raised his hand with a
furious face. Thwak! “You’ll answer for this later. I don’t want to see you anymore, so
go away!”

“Your grace is as deep as the oceans.”

“Your grace is as deep as the oceans.”

The two dukes bowed and quietly drew back. The Gluttony Emperor glared at them
until they completely disappeared and ran towards Yeon-woo with anxious steps,
looking him over. “A-are you all right? You’re not hurt?”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Is that important right now?! Your body is more important?! This wasn’t something
I ordered! I guarantee it!”

“I know, Your Majesty. Please don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not?!”

“Please don’t punish the dukes either. It was all because of their loyalty to you. I
completely understand.” The familiars watching found it too obvious that Yeon-woo
was acting, but the Gluttony Emperor wiped his eyes with a moved expression.

“Hu. Your kindness is as high as the skies. Why have I only met someone like you
now? It would’ve been nice if we had met sooner.” The Gluttony Emperor held Yeon-
woo’s hand in his plump one. “Now, let’s go inside. I’ve prepared a feast for you.” The
Gluttony Emperor led Yeon-woo inside his tent and continued to sing his praises.
Prince Domo and Duke Tuan Tien followed him.

“Kalatus’ grave! It’s something that insolent Spring Queen and others will lust after.
Hahaha! And you’ve made the chessboard so complex that their heads will be
muddled.”

Inside the tent, there were various foods and wines on fancy plates.

“And as you requested, we’re done with all the field research. Only the excavation is
left.” The Gluttony Emperor murmured, giggling. He had been trying to speak
discreetly but everyone heard. As Yeon-woo rescued Edora and drew the attention of
the enemies, Blood Land had studied the map Yeon-woo had given them and
searched for the grave to see if it was authentic.

Of course, they were successful and found the hidden stage.

The Gluttony Emperor still remembered how his subordinates had come up to him
with flushed faces to report that they found Kalatus’ grave. He licked his lips just
thinking about it. “Everyone says that there were so many precious items even just at
the entrance. They had a glimpse at the reason why the old dragons had been
classified as transcendental species and why the Summer Queen was able to rule the
Tower for so long.” He rubbed a piece of the Draconic species’ treasure that his
subordinates had taken to him. Each piece was equivalent to a superior artifact in
the Tower.

“Your Majesty.”

“Hahaha! What’s the matter? Speak.”

“I hope you don’t forget that what you’ve seen so far is only the beginning.” He meant
that there were far more valuable items inside. “And everything there will become
yours.”

The Gluttony Emperor’s smile widened, revealing all of his teeth. Then, he covered
his mouth with his hand and tried to speak as solemnly as possible. “Are you telling
me to take your rewards? Or do you think of me as an ungrateful tyrant? This is all
yours. I’m only helping a friend. Everything here belongs to you.”

Yeon-woo snorted to himself. ‘You don’t really think that.’ How could Yeon-woo not
know of his endless greed? He was so greedy that he’d eaten his own brothers to
take the throne. Perhaps that greed came from the Soulstone in his stomach, the
stone of gluttony.

“I don’t have the power or desire to protect that treasure. Then wouldn’t it be all
right for Your Majesty to take it all?”

The Gluttony Emperor barely stopped himself from grinning as he asked, “Then what
about you? If you give me everything in there, there won’t be anything for you.”

“I only want one thing.”

“Do as you wish! I swear on my name that I’ll give you anything! Hahaha! We’ve had a
lot of tough ordeals, but today, it feels like we have a thousand troops with us! What’s
everyone doing; bring the feast over!”

“Why don’t we look around the grave first before taking our time to enjoy the feast
after?”

“Haha! It’s like you read my mind. I like everything you say. Good. I’ll take you to the
grave, I mean, the labyrinth. Follow me.”

Yeon-woo smirked as he watched the smiling Gluttony Emperor stride to the portal
connected to the Dragon Labyrinth. ‘I can’t say I want your head, Gluttony.’

With a flash of light, their location changed.

[You have entered the hidden stage, ‘Dragon Labyrinth’.]

[You are at the beginning of the labyrinth.]

The entrance to the labyrinth was so elaborate that it seemed impossible that it was
only an entrance. It was wide enough to let thousands in at the same time, and there
were various marble structures and paintings that depicted the legends of the
Draconic species.

At the end was a massive door about ten meters tall. It was so thick that it seemed
impossible to budge. There were statues of humans in front of it sitting in lotus
position with their eyes closed. They were so realistic that it seemed like they might
come to life at any second. Bloody corpses lay on the ground around them, and there
were signs on the ground and iron door that an intense battle had taken place.

“I heard the advance party didn’t wait and attempted to get through. As you can see,
the damage was quite bad.” The Gluttony Emperor walked past his bowing
subordinates and kicked the corpses on the ground with a grimace.

“They must be the guards that I’ve been hearing about.”

“Probably. They’re not your average guards. I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep my
promise. I’ll take responsibility and punish the advance party.”

Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the stone statue.

Although the labyrinth under the Dragon Temple was also Kalatus’ grave, more
importantly, it serves as a type of museum that showcased the glory of the Draconic
species.

It’s divided into multiple sections that have their own specific tests. The ones that
supervise the tests are the graveyard keepers, and since Kalatus was such an
outstanding dragon king, there are many of them.

Each graveyard keeper is named after a legendary dragon king, and they all live up to
their names. They are as powerful as high rankers and can take on even the Nine Kings.

They have been given on only one command: to ensure that their master is not
disturbed. Even those who enter by accident will be removed. Even though I am
Kalatus’ descendant, I wasn’t exempted.

There are five graveyard keepers that you need to be especially wary of, especially
Balnanta. He’s a battle automaton created by dragons who wanted to experiment to
see how strong a player could be.

While he was clearing the Tutorial, Yeon-woo had encountered copper scarecrow
automatons in the boss room of Section A. They had been based on Balnanta, who
was quietly slumbering in front of the iron door.

A simple question a dragon had once asked had led to multiple dragons coming up
with their ideas of the ultimate player. Kalatus himself had designed Balnanta, which
was why it was so powerful.

Most of the time, the automaton was calm, its functions suspended. But once a
trespasser tried to creep through the labyrinth’s entrance, Balmanta was
programmed to wake up and immediately attack. The corpses scattered around it
had likely tried to go through the door.

Blood Land and Yeon-woo had promised each other to pass through the door
together after their preparations were finished, but it was clear that they’d violated
their promise and made an attempt to enter first.

‘Not that I expected anything different.’ It was impossible to be disappointed if you

didn’t have any trust in the first place.

However, the Gluttony Emperor seemed to feel guilty, so he scolded the advance
party that was examining the entrance. The captain of the advance party bowed,
saying that he was willing to be punished. Yeon-woo didn’t pay too much attention to
this farce and approached Balnanta.

“U-um…!”

“It’s danger—!”

The Gluttony Emperor and the advance party tried to stop Yeon-woo, but Yeon-woo
walked just close enough to Balnanta without activating him. He attempted to
project his thoughts into the automaton.

[You are attempting to contact the combat automaton (Balnanta).]

[You have failed.]

[You lack the qualification.]

‘I guess I can’t.’ Yeon-woo clucked his tongue. He had been wondering whether he’d
manage to control Balnanta. ‘Even if Kalatus is alive, he can’t influence the defenses
of the labyrinth… is that how it is?’

It wasn’t going to be easy to reach Kalatus. ‘I guess I have to go with my original

plan.’

Yeon-woo continued to send his thoughts into Balnanta.

[You are attempting to contact the combat automaton (Balnanta).]

[You have failed.]

[Due to repeat hacking attempts, the secondary defense system has been activated.]

[Current system phase: 3]

[The system is in a constant mode of activation.]

Flash! Suddenly, Balnanta opened its eyes. Although it was a stone statue, a sharp
light appeared in its eyes, which rolled from side to side. They were as fierce as the
eyes of a beast hunting its prey.

Instantly, the entrance grew deathly silent. The Gluttony Emperor, who had been
scolding the captain, and the advance party all shut their mouths and stared. Since
the advance party had already fought Balnanta once, they were especially wary. They
were ready to move, but Balnanta seemed content to glare at Yeon-woo without
budging.
“Hmph! That was dramatic.” The Gluttony Emperor approached Yeon-woo,
grumbling as he wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.

Balnanta was too tricky even for him to handle. Since they didn’t know if there were
any other violent monsters inside the labyrinth, he had to conserve his power. He
couldn’t waste it all carelessly.

‘The preparation is done with this.’ Unlike the relieved Gluttony Emperor, Yeon-woo
was smiling behind his mask. The defense system progressed through different
phases whenever trespassers appeared. Balnanta had been set up to stop intruders
once phase two had been activated, but Yeon-woo’s hacking attempts had made it
more tolerant.

As the Gluttony Emperor and the others sighed in relief at Balnanta’s inaction, the
statue was identifying and analyzing all the living creatures around it to determine
the quickest way to eliminate all of them. If a battle began here…

‘It’ll quickly get to phases four and five and maybe even beyond that.’ Obviously, the
higher the phase, the more Balnanta’s combat power would increase. If the Lion
Alliance, the Devil Army, the Elohim, and White Dragon were tossed into the mix? It
would be pandemonium.

Even if they somehow managed to defeat Balnanta, the other guards connected to
the system would immediately take action and disorient them. Yeon-woo held back
his sly smile and turned to the Gluttony Emperor.

The Gluttony Emperor grinned in a manner that he probably thought was awe-
inspiring, but the way his skin flapped only triggered disgust. “Anyway, now that
you’ve seen the labyrinth, you’re going to get started right away, hm?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Once everyone appears.”

At that moment, Duke Moglay approached and bowed. “We have news that the Lion
Alliance is headed towards our headquarters. The Devil Army, the Elohim, and White
Dragon also acted right away after their meeting.”

“Hahaha! They’re not gentlemen either!”

Blood Land had planted a spy in the Lion Alliance who’d passed on the information
that the Devil Army, the Elohim, and White Dragon were meeting. The Gluttony
Emperor was wondering when they would make their move. He chuckled and turned
to Duke Moglay. “Moglay!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Duke Moglay knelt humbly.

“You are aware that you have sinned against Cain and me, yes?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

“Then you must lead those scumbags here, even if it costs you your life.
Understood?”

“Your wish is my command!” Duke Moglay bowed once more and quickly left. He was
going to return to their headquarters, which would be surrounded by their enemies
at this point.

‘Psychos. They say they’re citizens, but they’re just used like cows.’ It was obvious
how many Blood Land players would die as bait. As he watched the duke go, Yeon-
woo quietly murmured, “Hanryeong.”

「I’ll take my leave.」 The shadow that fell from Yeon-woo silently merged with
Duke Moglay’s.

In the forest, mercenaries and players such as old Triton members moved on Ivan’s
orders. Magicians buffed them from the sky.

‘I’ll have the Hoarder’s head… no matter what it takes.’

The Lion Alliance moved from the north, the Devil Army from the east, the Elohim
from the south, and White Dragon from the west. After they’d agreed not to get in
each other’s way, they approached from the most convenient direction with one goal:
to kill the Hoarder.

Despite their differences, they agreed that whoever eliminated the Hoarder first
would be the victor. Needless to say, Ivan didn’t plan on holding back at all. He was
still fuming at the way the Head Bishop, Waltz, and Magnus had patronized him. He
wanted to crush their arrogant faces and shout that he wasn’t inferior to them—and
that the soon-to-be-empty spot among the Nine Kings would be his.

“Cain!” He roared, pushing away the soldiers of Blood Land who tried to protect the
Hoarder. “Cain!”

Boom! At that exact moment, the focused attacks from the magic alliance pierced
through the barricade. A neat formation of mercenaries immediately followed Ivan
to breach Blood Land’s base. At that moment, he saw the player who had been
repelling trespassers steadily: Duke Moglay. The Nan of Blood Land was covered in
blood. Duke Moglay instinctively turned around and repelled the attacks aimed at his
neck. Then, he realized his opponent was Ivan and frowned. “Iron Lion…!”

“Cain! Where is the Hoarder?!”

“Do you think I’d tell you?”

“Then… I’ll kill you if I must!” Boom! Ivan released his rage, offended that a duke that
wasn’t even one of the Nine Kings had dismissed him. He began to push against the
duke with even more strength.

〈Lion Mobilization〉

The berserker skill that allowed him to become the mercenary king activated.
Explosions followed it. Duke Moglay also activated his Disturbance and swung his
sword up.

Rumble. The ground shook, and clouds of sand soared up.

“What are you doing?! Sing louder!” At Duke Moglay’s words, the clan members of
Blood Land all raised their voices to sing the military song.

Boom, boom, boom! When the ground shook with their footsteps, a powerful
turbulence made the battlefield quake. The clan members’ hearts thumped faster,
while their faces turned as red as tomatoes.

“The cheers…!”

“The cheers have stopped, and the red flag has risen, like the embodiment of the
battlefield.

Spread it far! Let our song raise hurrahs! Let our flag shake the world.”

The clan members of Blood Land prepared for death as they began to push away the
trespassers. As the battlefield grew even more intense, the Head Bishop watched his
subordinates fight from far away. “I don’t see him from here.” He clucked his tongue.

While Ivan was clashing with Duke Moglay, he learned that Yeon-woo and the
Gluttony Emperor weren’t at the base. “Since the Ruyi Bang pieces are important,
they can’t be allowed to run free any longer.” He pulled out a small, milky bead and
smashed it. “O Seven Great Demon Kings. Please summon the touch of the Wind
Demon Lord to this location.”

Swish!

[The Wind Demon Lord responds to your summons.]

[‘Celestial Wind and Waves’ is activating.]

A wind suddenly wrapped around the Head Bishop and spread along the battlefield
to find Yeon-woo. Something similar was happening in the south and the west.

“Tsk! Is this Gluttony bastard playing some trick?” Magnus clucked his tongue and
fixed his gaze on the sky.

[Many gods are with you.]

[The godly society <Asgard> is participating.]

[The godly society <Deva> is participating.]

Magnus was receiving enough blessings from many gods to become the Roman
Dictator. He shouted, opening more Channels as the powers of the gods reached the
lower world to crush Blood Land’s defenses. Magnus chased after Yeon-woo’s tracks
among the ruins.

Waltz ripped apart the Blood Land soldiers with an indifferent expression as she
continued marching forward. When she realized that Yeon-woo wasn’t there, she
created ten different Nascent Soul Bodies and let them loose, expanding her senses.

The three kings of the Tower chased after Yeon-woo in their individual ways, and
nearly at the same time, they reached a portal that led to an unknown destination.
“You can’t enter!” Duke Moglay realized that the three kings were coming towards
him and tried to push Ivan away, turning his sword to the portal. Swish. Kashing!

However, it was impossible to stop the three kings from entering when he could
barely deal with Ivan. There was a flash of light, and his right arm still holding his
sword flew into the air, and his left leg was cut below the knee.

The three kings were quickly sucked into the portal deep inside the base without a
care for the fallen Duke Moglay.

“Dammit! Everyone, stop fighting and follow me!” Thinking he’d lost his chance to
gain a head start, Ivan turned away from the duke and jumped into the portal with
only the bare minimum of forces. The other soldiers all rushed to follow their
leaders, and the chaotic battlefield grew silent.

“Keekeekeek. Morons. They jumped in like moths to a flame, not knowing this is all
His Majesty’s will.” Duke Moglay leaned against a rock, exhausted. However, he
laughed at the thought that they’d all entered the portal. Although countless Blood
Land citizens had lost their lives and he’d lost two limbs, they’d managed to trap
three kings and four large clans. They’d gained more than they’d lost. Their enemies
would be sent into a location where the guards of the labyrinth would be waiting to
sweep them away.

News of Kalatus’ grave would then spread throughout the Tower, and more forces
and rankers would be sucked in as though it were a black hole. Duke Moglay believed
without a doubt that the last person standing in the mess would be their emperor.
This sacrifice would become a solid foundation for their soon-to-be-completed
empire. He believed in this so faithfully that he smiled, not feeling the pain of his
injuries. The relief that he’d accomplished his mission was so great that he would
have kept smiling until the surviving soldiers of their headquarters retrieved him—
except for the voice that suddenly whispered in his year.

「Sorry, but this arrangement was created by our king, not yours. You’re no different
from them.」

Duke Moglay quickly turned at the sudden threat. He swung his remaining arm.
Standing over an exceptionally long shadow, Hanryeong smiled at him as his swords
swung.
‘Trai—!” Duke Moglay couldn’t finish saying “traitor” because swords suddenly flew
towards his blind spots. His head flew into the air, still with a shocked expression on
it.

Hanryeong and Rebecca looked at each other’s eyes, then moved to take care of the
remaining people at the base. Shadows spread like inkblots, and the Spirit Guai rose.

“Wh-why is… aaack!”

The massacre began.

Whoosh! Wild flames blazed high, ravenously eating away at Blood Land’s ruined
base. Only the corpses piled on the ground were evidence that an intense battle had
taken place. There were no survivors at all.

“What in the world happened here?” Creutz quietly landed from the sky, looking
around in surprise. He had rushed over after hearing that four large clans had allied
themselves to target Yeon-woo and Blood Land. He arrived thinking that he’d land in
the middle of a raging battle, but all he saw were ruins. The fighting was already
over.

Did they move somewhere else? Just as he was about to pull our Zulfikar, the
shadows of wyverns loomed over him as players in elaborate armor landed one by
one.

“Huh? Are we in the wrong place?”

“It’s quieter than I anticipated. They’re not the kind of people who would end things
like this.”

They were the Fantasy Regiment’s main forces along with the Illusion Knightage: the
Free Priest Clan, the Black Wolves, and Fire King Group. They were among the top
ten squads.

The First Squad, Wings of Blue Sky, landed last. In one glance, one would get an
impression of coldness from them. Even though they had only ten members, their
presence was greater than those of the Illusion Knightage and the other forces
combined. The other players all bowed to them with respect.

The First Squad had started off with only a few members and instantly caused an
uproar in the Tower. They were the ones who connected the 108 organizations
together and birthed the Fantasy Regiment.

Each member was a ranker or even a high ranker, and it was the first time they
revealed themselves. They were better known as the First Squad, the Regiment
Leader’s Protectors, instead of Wings of Blue Sky.

One of them slowly strode forward, a striking symbol of wings on his chest. His face
was covered by a hood, which obscured his features. However, his eyes flashed with
coldness from within the hood as though he could see through everything. “It seems
like there was a battle in the beginning, but after some of the combatants left, it
became a massacre. Hm. What’s this? Did a new group enter the fray?” The Regiment
Leader scanned his surroundings and muttered to himself. He had a talent for
analysis and reacting appropriately according to his deductions, but he’d never seen
anything like this.

It seemed as if the main leaders of the Lion Alliance, the Devil Army, the Elohim, and
White Dragon had suddenly disappeared. After that, a massacre had happened. He
had no idea why they suddenly vanished, nor could he imagine anyone who could
single-handedly massacre the soldiers of the Eight Clans, even without their
commanders.

The only people that came to mind were the dukes of Blood Land, the bishops of the
Devil Army, and the Martial Gods of the former Cheonghwado. However, their
movements were easily tracked, and they couldn’t avoid the eyes that Regiment
Leader had placed throughout the Tower.

“Is this the reason?” He managed to find remnants of a portal in the center of the
burned, collapsing base. It was already closed, but hints of magic power still
remained.

“Ramat, check where this portal is connected to and if it can be opened again. Since
there’s still some magic power left, the coordinates will probably pop up
immediately.”

“Yes, sir.” Ramat, the leader of the Third Squad, the Free Priests Clan, stepped up and
began to chant. Small sparks and a magic circle that had been set up on the ground
began to activate.

The Regiment Leader watched the portal reopen and quietly murmured. “Just a little
longer now…” He had been waiting for so long. Had it been two years? No. Three or
four years… it might’ve been nearly ten years.
After that day, he’d completely forgotten the passage of time. He lived for only one
goal, and today was the day he could finally reach it. He had created the Fantasy
Regiment to resolve this grudge, and he would now be able to gain the meeting he’d
been longing for…!

As excitement filled the Regiment Leader’s eyes, the magic circle trembled to
produce a red portal. Beyond it, they could sense the commotion of a chaotic battle.

“Everyone, follow the Regiment Leader into the portal. We don’t know what’s on the
other side, so be prepared for combat!” Creutz raised his hand and shouted. When
the Regiment all gathered, he automatically took the position of vice regiment leader.
They were about to cross the portal when they felt a sudden presence behind them.

“Hey, who are you guys?”

The Regiment Leader and Creutz paused. They turned around to see a group of fierce
and wary-looking players whose numbers matched their own. It was Chatura,
Shanon, and Demon Beauty Castle.

***

[You have successfully absorbed ‘Nan’.]

Yeon-woo received news from Hanryeong that Duke Moglay had been taken care of
when the Devil Army and the others appeared through the large portal. He had to
hold in the laughter that almost escaped his mouth. ‘Hopefully, my guess is right.’

Guai Ruk Nan Shin were the four dukes that supported the Gluttony Emperor—the
horror that allowed the current Blood Land to reign as one of the Eight Clans.

However, Yeon-woo asked the same question his brother once did: where did the
Guai Ruk Nan Shin come from?

Blood Land is definitely strong. They have an extensive history and the determination
to maintain their vanished land. If you have a long history in the jungle-like world of
the Tower, it means that you’re strong. But technically, Blood Land’s history is one
more of persecution than honor.

Because of their elitism, they weren’t able to mingle with others and were
discriminated against. Due to this reason, if you had to assess Blood Land’s status,
they’re only among the upper-middle class.

This position suddenly changed after the Gluttony Emperor rose to power and the
dukes called Guai Ruk Nan Shin appeared.

With the merciless conquest of the Gluttony Emperor, Blood Land had grown
prosperous, and the four dukes were replaced multiple times. However, even though
the individuals changed, the Gluttony Emperor never changed the titles even after
taking the throne. When Duke Ardbad, who was Ruk, died, his position wasn’t
abolished, and Yeon-woo heard that the emperor was looking for someone to take it
over. He didn’t think this was a coincidence.

Just as the stone of gluttony allowed the half-witted Gluttony Emperor to eat his
brothers and the former emperor, Yeon-woo thought the titles of the four dukes
probably had their roots in it as well. The Gluttony Emperor was blinded by greed,
but considering how he raised Blood Land to its current position, he clearly had used
the stone well. If not, then the power emanating from the stone was strong enough
to help him.

He had used most of it to strengthen himself and put what was left into something
called Guai Ruk Nan Shin. Fortunately, things were going as Yeon-woo planned.

Ding.

[You have successfully absorbed ‘Disorder’.]

[You have taken part of the Soulstone (Stone of Gula). The Soulstone you already
own (Stone of Superbia) is reacting.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) wants more power.]

Messages began to appear at a quick pace, and the Philosopher’s Stone in his chest
rang happily.

[Sudden Quest (Sin Stone) has been created.]

[Sudden Quest / Sin Stone]

[Description: Luciel, the keeper of the fire of the beginning was blinded by greed. He
swallowed the fire and was forced to fight a long war against the heavenly world.
However, although the gods and demons successfully tore Luciel’s wings off, they too
were blinded by greed and could not retrieve the fire of the beginning. They were
forced to watch it fall to the lower world.

The spark combined with Luciel’s soul, and when it reached the ground, it split into
fourteen different stones. Most of them have been successfully retrieved by the
heavenly world, but a few of them remain in the lower world. One of them is the
Stone of Superbia.

And now, the Stone of Gula has been discovered. Virtues are pulled to other virtues,
and sins are pulled to other sins. There is a probability that the Stone of Superbia
and the Stone of Gula are calling to each other.

Combine the Stone of Superbia and Stone of Gula to create a new stone, the ‘Sin
Stone’. You will have to steal the Stone of Gula away from its powerful owner and
analyze the stone so that it will be connected properly.]

[Qualification of participation: Owner of Soulstone]

[Time Limit: - ]

[Conditions of success:

1. Take possession of the Stone of Gula.

2. Analyze the Stone of Gula.

3. Create a new Soulstone by combining the Stone of Gula and the Stone of Superbia.]

‘It worked!’ Yeon-woo shouted happily inside. As expected, it fit together like a
puzzle. The Guai Ruk Nan Shin were the remnants of the Stone of Gula the Gluttony
Emperor hadn’t been able to control, and the system had recognized this after he
absorbed one of them. “If I’d known this earlier, I would have taken Ruk when Duke
Ardbad died,” he muttered to himself. It was a shame, but then it had been
impossible for him back then to do anything like that. He hadn’t known about using
Soulstones or even how to take Ruk. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have been able to
incorporate it.

The Philosopher’s Stone squirmed, emitting magic power as though it were telling
him to feed it with more power. Yeon-woo felt like the Demonism inside the
Philosopher’s Stone was shouting at him. However, the change wasn’t too noticeable
since the Guai Ruk Nan Shin fell short of the original power of the Stone of Gula.
‘That means the Gluttony Emperor is using the stone improperly.’

Still, after gaining Disorder, Yeon-woo felt like his Spirit Guai felt smoother.

Meanwhile, the Gluttony Emperor’s face had grown stiff. “What’s this?” A string that
had always been connected to him was suddenly cut. It meant Duke Moglay had died.
Although he’d been anticipating his death, and he could always appoint someone to
take the title, the death itself didn’t matter. What was concerning was that the power
that should have returned to him had disappeared. ‘What happened? What’s going
on? Is there someone among my enemies who has caught onto the stones? But how?
I haven’t been exposed at all.’

His head whirled with questions. If the power didn’t return, it would be a great loss
for him and Blood Land. In fact, things might become really bad. Since he was an
extraordinarily greedy person, any loss was a terrible thing, and this wasn’t just an
ordinary item.

“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

However, the Gluttony Emperor couldn’t keep thinking about this situation because
Yeon-woo interrupted his train of thought.

“The enemies are near. Please have your soldiers retreat. Otherwise, they’ll become
involved as well.”

The Gluttony Emperor collected himself. He had to figure out how to regain Nan, but
it was more urgent to move forward with the plan. Fortunately, he could see the
three main suspects who might have taken Nan entering: the Head Bishop, Magnus,
and Waltz. After he took care of them, he’d find out which one of them was the
culprit.

“Retreat!”

“All forces move back!”

“Soldiers, disperse!”

“Disperse!”
On Duke Tuan Tien’s command, Blood Land’s advance party began to move back
towards the wall of murals. At that point, the Lion Alliance, the Devil Army, and the
Elohi entered the common hall. Balnanta, which had been looking warily at the
invaders all this time, began to tremble.

[Multiple trespassers have been discovered. Warning. You cannot go forward.]

[Multiple trespassers have been discovered. Warning. Any attempts to approach are
not allowed.]

[The system phase is being adjusted.]

[Current system phase: 5]

[According to protocol, Balnanta is switching to permanent activation mode.]

Balnanta slowly rose. An ominous energy began to storm around it, but the
trespassers didn’t realize it until it was too late.

Swish. Boom!

The players that just arrived through the portal disappeared in a spray of blood and
flesh.

“Wh-what is going on?” Magnus’ eyes widened as one of his subordinates suddenly
burst into a cloud of blood. One of the players who had just died was Uros, the leader
of the Elohim’s pride, the Seven Member Squad, and a head of the Protogenoi tribe!
The deaths of the heads of the Protogenoi tribe placed the Elohim in danger, and this
was something he couldn’t accept. “You!” Magnus furiously opened his palm and
thrust it forward.

Giant’s Hammer was his signature skill. It was like a Giant striking down with his
palm to create powerful winds. However, in response, Balnanta spread its right hand
open and absorbed the strike—with the same form, power, and skill that Magnus
had.

Boom! As Magnus’ eyes filled with disbelief, Balnata shot its left palm forward with
the same skill but at a higher proficiency and with greater power. Intense winds
swallowed Magnus up and swept everything away. Rumble.

‘Now!’ As everyone fought, Yeon-woo spread his Fire Wings and threw himself
towards the iron door that was now defenseless.
“Hoarder!” Ivan was the first to react to Yeon-woo’s presence. The battlefield was
filled with confusion from Balnanta’s sudden attack, and he was the only one who
chased after Yeon-woo. However, Balnanta stretched its hand towards the door, as if
it wouldn’t let anyone approach. It brought the blade of its palm down, dividing
space.

Ivan activated his signature skill, Lion Mobilization “Hup!” Ivan quickly turned from
running to Yeon-woo and brought his sword down. There was a wild clang, and his
body shook as it was pushed away. His sword trembled and it was nearly cracked
into pieces.

Sweat dripped down his back. If he had moved just a fraction slower, his back would
have broken. Balnanta was more proficient in Lion Mobilization than him. ‘How can a
mere combat automaton…!’

From what he knew, combat automatons could only imitate movements and not
their opponents’ proficiency and power. This was too much. Was this the secret
weapon the Hoarder had prepared when he’d gone missing for a year? Or was it part
of Blood Land’s machinations?

If neither of them had anything to do with it, then was it related to the strange
message that had appeared when he’d crossed the portal?

[You have entered the hidden stage ‘Dragon Labyrinth’.]

Dragon Labyrinth? What was that? There were many different areas on the fiftieth
floor, but there was no section with that name. Since it was a hidden stage, it was
clearly a secret area—could it be related to the ruins that everyone thought lay
under the Dragon’s Temple?

Rumble! However, Ivan didn’t have a chance to consider this much longer. Balnanta
had arrived in front of him and punched him in the stomach. Ivan’s sword exploded,
and blood spurted up.
In the meantime, the Head Bishop and Waltz chased after Yeon-woo and the Gluttony
Emperor at the speed of light.

“Your Majesty! We’ll take care of this place, so please open the door! Tarbing, escort
His Majesty!”

“Duan Tien!”

Duke Tuan Tien, who had been attending to the emperor, fell back. Boom! He
activated his magic power, skidding as his flesh ripped apart and bone blades
popped through his skin like a porcupine’s quills.

Duke Tuan Tien’s signature skill, Skeleton Sword, turned his bones into swords. After
being combined with Guai from the Gluttony Emperor, his bones had grown
abnormally tough, and he was a walking weapon.

When Duke Tuan Tien gripped his shoulders and pushed magic power in, his sharp
bones instantly multiplied until he looked like a bush. The Head Bishop and Waltz
frowned in annoyance and waved their hands in front of them. As they did, space
trembled and the pieces of bones exploded futilely.

However, the broken pieces obscured their vision, and taking advantage of this,
blazing Inferno Sight appeared. 「I… forbid… you to… approach.」 Magic fell from
the magic squares in the air. As the ground cracked, columns of fire shot up. Now that
Boo was an Elder Lich, he had grown more powerful.

Swoosh. Holes appeared in the fog of bone dust, and the cracks in the ground stopped
the Head Bishop and Waltz from approaching.

“You bastards!” Waltz destroyed the attacks with a scowl. However, it wasn’t easy to
get past Duke Tuan Tien and Boo, whose main purpose was to stop them. She tried
using a dispel-type magic her mother, the Summer Queen, had taught her, but Boo
brushed it aside as if he were showing her how superior he was to her. Waltz
couldn’t allow this to continue, and so she separated her Nascent Soul Bodies.

She wasn’t eager to do it because she might expose her weaknesses as she divided
her power, but she had no choice. Dozens of Nascent Soul Bodies spread around her
and chased after Yeon-woo.

“Oh dear!” Duke Tuan Tien tried to stop them, but it wasn’t easy. A few of them
managed to successfully cross the cracks Boo had created.

Just then, unfamiliar faces appeared through the dust cloud.

“With the scale of this fight, I see that friend still brings trouble wherever he goes.”

“I’ll create a barrier first.”

“Demon Beauty! We’ll take care of this place!”

It was the Fantasy Regiment’s Regiment Leader, Creutz, Chatura, and Shanon. After
realizing they were allies, they quickly entered the portal together. Edora, who was
with Yeon-woo, greeted them, raising Divine Evil high in the air.

Boom! Balnanta, who had been busy with Ivan and Magnus, returned and began to
attack Waltz and the Head Bishop from behind. In the midst of Aura explosions and
collisions, Yeon-woo’s hand finally reached the iron door.

[A visitor has been recognized.]

[You have successfully opened the first gate of the Dragon Labyrinth.]

[You have successfully evaded the keeper of the door (Balnanta).]

[A hidden condition has been satisfied.]

“Finally…!” The Gluttony Emperor’s smile deepened. He knew that there was still a
long way to go beyond this door, but he had the map. In contrast, their enemies
would have to deal with countless guards the moment the labyrinth opened.
Although it might not be a massacre, they’d at least suffer great damage. In the
meantime, he could take all the legacies of the Draconic species himself. His eyes
were red, as though he were already seeing a multitude of treasures in front of him.
He licked his lips.

[Hidden trials are beginning.]

[1st trial: survive the labyrinth.]

“What?” The Gluttony Emperor’s eyes widened at the unexpected message. He

instinctively turned to Yeon-woo, whose eyes were curved in a cold smile behind his
mask.

“Ca…!” Before the Gluttony Emperor could finish calling Yeon-woo, a light from the
labyrinth brightened over everything in the common hall and swallowed them up.

Swoosh!

***

After I received Kalatus’ summons, I immediately went to his lair. I didn’t experience it
myself, but from what I heard from the protector Uballa, apparently there are various
trials in the labyrinth.

The labyrinth is the last safe haven Kalatus made for many Draconic species. He
explained that if someone dared to disturb their rest, they had to show that they were
qualified to do so. The trials in the temple are part of the labyrinth’s trials, as well.

When I heard it all… I’ll just stop here. However, I became sure of one thing: from the
start, rankers and ordinary players are fucked. Scattering players along the
complicated labyrinth at random locations and making them find their way on their
own? And that’s not all. Just listening to the things they have to face… whew, it’s not
humane!

Oh, I guess Kalatus isn’t human, so, wow, what a reptilian thing to do.

“Looks like things are going according to plan for now,” Yeon-woo muttered to
himself, scanning his surroundings. All he could see was a cave covered in stalactites.
Deep caverns yawned to his left and right, but it was so dark that he couldn’t see
much of them. He seemed to be alone, which meant that things were going well, at
least for now.

‘The players at the entrance have probably been scattered around, too.’ Fighting
multiple forces would only be disadvantageous for him, but it was a different
situation if their locations were designated randomly. With the soldiers split up,
they’d be wary of each other at the same time, and with limited resources in such a
large place, self-preservation would come first.

They’d break away from their groups and even attack each other. The Lion Alliance,
the Elohim, the Devil Army, White Dragon, and Blood Land had all fallen in a trap.
Soon enough, news of this place would reach the floors above as well, and more
people would jump in as rumors of the Dragon Labyrinth and Kalatus’ grave spread
like wildfire. The more people entered the labyrinth, the larger the chaotic
chessboard would become until it was a black hole that swallowed everything up. It
was the ideal scenario for Yeon-woo.

However, labyrinth posed a problem for him: the Channels that always tailed him
were now shut. ‘So, it doesn’t work.’

Dragon Temple. Dragon Labyrinth. Obviously, Kalatus considered it unpleasant to have

other beings looking into their safe haven.

Many players that weren’t Apostles borrowed the strength of gods and demons as
well. Now, all of those abilities had been taken away because of the trait of the
Draconic species. Although they had remained in the lower world while the gods and
demons ascended to the heavenly world, they were once their equals and also
transcendent species. There was no way Kalatus would approve of those irritating
gazes.

However, with all the Channels closed, Yeon-woo wouldn’t be able to open Sky
Wings. ‘I wonder if the Black King’s power is working.’ Fortunately, he saw that the
three Casts were trembling and nodded. Since the Cast of the Black King gave power
through artifacts, it seemed unrelated to the Channels.

It was a shame he couldn’t use Sky Wings, but as long as he had the Black King’s
power, he’d probably get through the labyrinth without too much trouble. He already
knew of a shortcut to get to the lair. There was one other drawback.

[‘Dragon’s Curse’ has been applied.]

[Your attack and defensive powers are dropping.]

[Your elemental power and control are dropping.]

The debuffs of the hidden stages were being applied.

[The trait ‘Demonic Draconic Divine Body’ has partially released you from ‘Dragon’s
Curse’.]
Thanks to his draconic body type, the curse was minimized, but his body still felt
heavier than normal. ‘With this, even the kings will have trouble, since the Dragon’s
Curse’s effectiveness rises in parallel to your power.’

No matter whether they were rankers, high rankers, or even the Nine Kings, would
they be able to overcome the trials and attacks from the graveyard keepers with all
the constraints? Yeon-woo smiled evilly, thinking of the players that were probably
dealing with the guards at this moment.

He was worried about Edora, who wasn’t with him, but he believed she was smart
enough to find the lair. He had told her about the formation of the labyrinth in
advance. ‘That kid will be able to do it.’

[Survive the labyrinth.]

After reading the description of the first trial, Yeon-woo slowly extended his
Extrasensory Perception around him. First, he needed to know where he was. ‘Oh,
right.’ He suddenly remembered the face of the Regiment Leader, who had been next
to Creutz before they entered the labyrinth. ‘It was him.’ Yeon-woo’s eyes darkened.
‘Am I in… section B2-AC11? I’m farther away than I expected.’ Yeon-woo clucked his
tongue when he realized where he was. The lair was at the center of the labyrinth,
and he had a long way to go. ‘From here, I have to move to the right. Then left after
that, take the third exit, and the second diagonal path?’

[Wind Path - Gale]

Yeon-woo moved quickly, stepping on the path Wind Path created with his Draconic
Divine Eyes open. He passed through the labyrinth, which was so complicated that
he never would have made it through if he didn’t know the route in advance.

Suddenly, with a bone-chilling sound, the ground that Yeon-woo was about to step on
cracked.

「Confirming… intruder.」 A black-armored skeletal knight with a lance slowly rose

to block his path. It was one of the Spartoi—guards born from Kalatus’ teeth. Spartoi
were usually birthed from a part of a Draconic species’ body, which made them
extremely skilled. The Spring Queen Waltz and the Autumn Lord Tom were Spartoi
from the Summer Queen’s blood.

The labyrinth was filed with Kalatus’ Spartoi. However, they were at different levels.
Those with the highest level, like Balnanta, were at five, and the one in front of him
was… ‘Maybe around three?’

The Spartoi’s red eyes looked Yeon-woo up and down, and it made a mechanical
noise. 「Intruder. Calculating… 」

Yeon-woo just watched what it was doing. Before they fought, there was something
he needed to confirm. ‘Kalatus definitely said they were going to come. Who does he
mean?’ He was probably the only one who knew the labyrinth’s location. Who else
would be trying to enter it? He didn’t think it was going to be an ordinary player.

No one dared face Kalatus in the lower world. Even the Summer Queen hadn’t done
it. But if Kalatus borrowed Edora’s eyes to warn him, it had to be urgent. How far had
they come? Yeon-woo thought he’d be able to tell through the Spartoi.

He thought the protectors within the labyrinth could read the traces of a dragon on
him, and perhaps only Balnanta’s programming couldn’t tell. If they could read the
traces, then that meant the labyrinth was still safe from them. If not… ‘It means the
threat is close.’

「Calculation failure!」

Boom! The Spartoi jumped off from the ground, lance extended.

‘Just as I thought.’ Clang! Yeon-woo quickly pulled Vigrid out and smacked the lance
away. ‘Although I do feel a bit heavy.’ Using the Atman System thoroughly, he took a
step forward.

Although the lance was bent, the Spartoi tried to strike Yeon-woo once more, but he
had already used Blink to disappear. He reappeared right behind the Spartoi and just
as the black Aura in Vigrid was about to cleave it in half, two lances suddenly crossed
in front of Yeon-woo and blocked Vigrid.

Ca-clang! Two more Spartoi had saved their comrade.

「Intruder level adjusted.」

「Danger level 3.」

There were five danger levels in total.

“I don’t like that.” It would be annoying to deal with them for too long, so he gripped
Vigrid more tightly. Rumble! The black Aura turned even darker, and it exploded into
Wave of Fire, which he hadn’t used in a while.

It was less destructive than usual because of the debuff, but it was powerful enough
to destroy the three Spartoi and any hidden Spartoi or traps that lay in wait ahead.
Whoosh. Even the sound of the explosion was swallowed by the flames.

When everything settled, there was only a scorched cave with melted stalactites, the
ashes of the Spartoi, and the head of the first Spartoi that Yeon-woo had
encountered.

「Danger level… 4.」 Its eyes were still fixed on Yeon-woo before they finally died.

“Much better.” Smirking, he walked towards the Spartoi’s head and dug through the
remains to find a bead about the size of his hand.

[A Piece of the Ancient Dragon Kalatus’ Tooth]

[Category: Miscellaneous]

[Description: A piece of the tooth that the ancient dragon Kalatus used to create a
protector.]

[Effect: It will help repel the ‘Dragon’s Curse’ by a small amount. The more tooth
pieces you collect, the greater the effect.]

[With the artifact, a small part of the ‘Dragon’s Curse’ has been removed.]

[Your body has grown slightly lighter.]

[The penalties applied to your skills have been slightly reduced.]

[Hidden Quest (Curse Immunity I) has been created.]

[Hidden Quest / Curse Immunity I)]

[Description: You have trespassed on the grave of the last dragon king, Kalatus. The
price of disturbing the dragon king’s rest is a curse that prevents your body from
performing at its regular capacity. Additionally, information about the trespasser has
been delivered to all protectors of the grave, and they will search through this place
to eliminate you. Deal with them or gather the pieces of the last dragon king’s tooth
within the set time limit. Only then will you be freed from the curse. Otherwise, the
curse will take over.]

[Qualification of Participation: Trespasser of the ‘Dragon Labyrinth’]

[Time Limit: 48 hours]

[Rewards:
1. ‘Dragon Blessing’

2. A related quest (Curse Immunity II)]

[Penalties if the quest is not completed:

1. Stats irrevocably damaged

2. Soul invaded by curse]

‘The others wouldn’t have even dreamed that something like this could exist.’ The
clock began to tick as soon as players entered the labyrinth, and no one would be
able to avoid it, not even the Nine Kings. Even if the players managed to survive, they
would never be free of the curse, even outside the labyrinth. That was how powerful
the magic of the Draconic species was. It was the main reason why Yeon-woo called
the labyrinth a trap.

Yeon-woo used his shadows to retrieve the pieces on the ground, wanting to use
them to his advantage in case he had to battle again. Just as he picked up the last
piece, he heard a faint scream in the distance.

“Aaack!”

It seemed that a trespasser had met the Spartoi. Yeon-woo muted his presence as
much as possible and quickly moved towards the direction of the scream, expanding
his Extrasensory Perception. ‘Ivan… ’ He encountered them frequently after leaving
Tartarus, and now that they were confused, it was his chance. Yeon-woo held Vigrid
again to quickly eliminate them.

***

"Head Bishop…!”

“Haa. Haa. Oh dear. I’m showing my weakness.” He smiled bitterly at the bishop who
was looking at him sympathetically. Was this child the fourth or the fifth? Or the
sixth? He didn’t even remember, perhaps because of his dizziness. Actually, it was
because he replaced the other bishops so often and the ranks of priests and bishops
were so disorganized that it was hard for him to keep track.

Still, even though they had been divided according to position and title for ease, they
were all his precious brothers that he had personally nurtured and children born
from the Heavenly Demon’s love. He had never discriminated among the followers of
the Heavenly Demon. ‘But you aren’t taking care of your faithful children at all.’ The
Head Bishop held something out to the pale bishop, who was concerned about him
even though his own condition wasn’t exactly the best either. “Take this, and regain
your strength. How can someone who’s supposed to protect me be so frail?”

“But sir, this potion is…!”

“Go on, take it.” The Head Bishop insisted the bishop have it.

The bishop gulped down the potion with a worried expression. The potion was an
elixir that allowed you to regain your strength in emergency situations, and after the
former Head Bishop, Black Dawn, died, they lost the method of creating it. There
weren’t many of the potions left. How could he not be moved by the offer? He
promised himself that he’d do anything to protect the Head Bishop in this dangerous
place.

As he patted the determined bishop on the shoulder, the Head Bishop was deep in
thought. ‘What to do… ’ All the Channels with the Heavenly Demon had been cut off.
Although the Channels had been weak, they still provided enough power. Now, he
was getting by on the strength he’d earned from the shrine of the Seven Great
Demon Kings, and he didn’t know how long that would last. ‘It means everyone here
has fallen for that child’s tricks, even his allies, Blood Land. Huhu! He impresses me
more each time I see him.’ The Head Bishop chuckled, thinking of the player who put
him in this state. ‘I have to get rid of him. Only then can I step forward.’

The Head Bishop had already decided to abandon the Heavenly Demon after his
failure on the Five Mountains of Penances. However, that didn’t mean he was going
to throw away all of his plans. He was still determined to become an aspect of the
Heavenly Demon, even if the only thing sustaining him was his stubbornness. ‘If the
Bull Demon King is right, the head of the Dawn Demon should be there… ’ The Head
Bishop muttered to himself, recalling the great being he’d met in the shrine. ‘To do
that, I need to take the key from the child, the Hoarder.’

He hadn’t expected it to be easy, but then the iron door opened and he was suddenly
transported here. Without any Channels, his powers and abilities were gone. He had
grown weak. It was the worst possible location for the Devil Army, who used their
belief as power. What would happen if he encountered an enemy here?
Even though they had promised not to get in each other’s way, if they knew the Devil
Army had been weakened so much, that promise wouldn’t mean anything. He would
make the same choice, too. He needed to find a way.

“Sir.”

“Yes. I feel it too.”

“I’ll take care of this place, so you should…!”

“No. I believe it’s too late, since someone is approaching.” The Head Bishop and the
bishop turned to look at the mouth of a long tunnel. The darkness at its entry split,
and someone appeared.

She looked exhausted, as though she had just been through a tough battle, and she
frowned, as if she was displeased to see the Head Bishop.

“I didn’t anticipate seeing you this quickly, Spring Queen.”

Waltz looked at the Head Bishop with unreadable eyes.

***

On his way to the Tower, Kahn happened to overhear the gossip that was spreading
around the market. He didn’t know how many times he’d heard the same piece of
news.

“Hey, hey! Did you hear?”

“What is it?”

“Do you live under a rock?! There’s a mess on the fiftieth floor right now!”

The grave of the last dragon king, Kalatus, had appeared! The rumors sprang out of
nowhere to rush through the entire Tower. Now, it had even reached the Outer
District. The historic site belonging to the old Draconic species that had gone extinct
with the Summer Queen’s death naturally drew the attention of countless players.
Large clans and rankers who could enter the fiftieth floor were eager to get to it.

There were also semi-rankers who had already attempted the fiftieth floor and failed
multiple times who jumped on board, thinking it was a new opportunity for them to
become a ranker. Portals headed for Kalatus’ grave turned into areas of competition.
Everyone wanted the dragon king’s legacy for himself.

Kalatus’ haven would no longer be a one due to all the players ready to bombard it.
The dropouts of the Tower in the Outer District were also excited. Even if they
couldn’t be a victor in the competition, a small piece of the legacy would help them
make it big. People were already gathering money to form groups, creating teams,
and doing other things they thought would help.

‘The Dragon Labyrinth.’ Sensing the charged air, Kahn clenched his fists. ‘So, that’s
where Cain is?’ He had been looking for Yeon-woo to solve Doyle’s Channel problem.
It seemed like Yeon-woo was progressing faster than he’d anticipated. ‘He’s getting
started.’

As he looked at the Tower, it seemed like dark storm clouds were gathering over it.
“Dammit!” The leader of Black Dragon, the Autumn Lord Tom, couldn’t contain his
anger and swept away the items on his desk. Crash. They were all rare and precious
items, treasures that his mother, the Summer Queen, had given him because he was
the youngest. However, the sight of them made him feel dissatisfied.

The rumors he heard made him lose all reason—rumors that the dragon king
Kalatus’ grave had been discovered. At first, he hadn’t believed them. Talk of a
hidden site on the fiftieth floor had been circulating for a long time, but even if it did
exist, he never thought the idiotic Gluttony Emperor who would find it first.

To Tom, the Gluttony Emperor was just a tool for decreasing White Dragon’s forces
and an easy prey in the future. However, now that he’d discovered the rumors were
true, he felt dismayed.

With all the Draconic species gone, and the descendants of the Summer Queen all
battling to be her true successor, finding the ancient site of the old dragons could be
something that would turn the tide. The legacy of the dragons wasn’t just a treasure
in itself, it was also a good excuse to declare yourself the true successor to the
Draconic species.

However, this treasure was now in the hands of the Gluttony Emperor, whom he’d
already betrayed once. Waltz had become involved in this because she was fighting
with Blood Land. The entire situation just made Tom feel worse. “I have to interfere
somehow. Any way I can…”

There was still time to enter the grave under the pretext of helping Blood Land, but
he would risk being trapped and lose even more of his soldiers. He’d heard that the
grave was a labyrinth and one wrong step meant suffering a lot of damage. However,
there were rumors that Blood Land had a map. He needed to appease that disgusting
pig, the Gluttony Emperor. Overnight, the person who had the upper hand had
changed. “I have to give that pig something he will like. What do I have that he’ll
want?”
What would be a treasure that the greedy and vain Gluttony Emperor would like?
Tom paced around his room and racked his brain. A crystal rolling on the ground
suddenly glowed.

『Youngest, I heard your situation isn’t too different from ours. How about we work
together for a while?』 A familiar voice rang out. It was one of the leaders of Green
Dragon, Dragon Tiger Hyall.

Tom bent over and picked up the crystal. The Summer Queen had given one to each
of her children a long time ago, and they hadn’t used it since they’d begun fighting
among themselves.

His other siblings were probably as desperate as he was. Thinking that it might be
worth listening to their offer, Tom said, “Long time no see, brother.”

***

As Ivan felled the Spartoi with the few subordinates he had left, a flash of light burst
in front of his eyes. He only felt two things: it was hot and he was furious. He knew
what the flames coming from the walls of the cave were, and he felt it was pathetic
that he couldn’t do anything but be a sitting duck.

When he came to, his subordinates were all gone, and only a hated face appeared in
his vision. It was a man wearing a black mask and coat, the enemy that had taken his
son from him and destroyed his clan: the Hoarder, Cain.

“Why are you keeping me alive?” Ivan growled at Yeon-woo. He was wrapped up in
strange chains, and he couldn’t even use his skills. His pride wouldn’t let him be
pulled around like a dog on a leash. He would rather die than be a prisoner of war
like this.

However, Yeon-woo just retrieved strange-looking beads from the skeletal Spartoi
using his shadows, as though he couldn’t hear Ivan.

“Why are you keeping me alive?!” Ivan couldn’t hold back his rage and shouted once
more. Only then did Yeon-woo stop what he was doing and slowly turn around. His
eyes behind the mask were still and emotionless.

“You’re wrong.”
“What?”

“I’m not keeping you alive. I’m just leaving you alone because of Kahn.”

Ivan was speechless.

“I don’t know what happened between you and Kahn. But Kahn is a special friend,
and since you’re his father, I won’t do anything to you. I’ll let Kahn decide.”

“Do you plan on humiliating me?”

“If you think it’s humiliating, you can bite your tongue off and die.”

“What…?”

“Like I said, I don’t have any particular reason for keeping you alive aside from Kahn.
If you want to die, be my guest. I’ll decide whether I toss Kahn your corpse or hide
it.”

Ivan couldn’t respond.

“And if you want to die, die quietly on your own. Don’t hurt your only son’s heart.”

Ivan bit his lower lip. He realized that in the end, he was worthless to Yeon-woo, just
as he was worthless to the Head Bishop, Waltz, and Magnus. He realized how useless
he was.

Yeon-woo tsked to himself as he watched Ivan. ‘How annoying.’ He knew that

something had happened between Kahn and Ivan, and he was angry because he had
experienced the same thing back on Earth.

His father had been irresponsible when it came to their family, and it disgusted him
that despite that, he still had a lot of pride. He thought it would be best to leave the
decision to kill Ivan to Kahn. ‘And I can keep him as a hostage if necessary, too.’ Yeon-
woo glanced at the silent Ivan. It seemed like Ivan wouldn't speak any more
nonsense. Then he looked at the stone door in front of him. ‘According to the diary,
this should be it.’

The labyrinth was as complex as an ant colony, and there were many stone rooms
hidden throughout it. Some were used to store weapons, some were laboratories,
while others were libraries and farms for materials. It was possible to own one after
passing a test, and each one was guaranteed to be incredible since it had been left
behind by the Draconic species.

However, Yeon-woo wasn’t interested in those. ‘The stone rooms contain failed
experiments or mass-produced items with low quality.’

The real treasure was probably stored in Kalatus’ lair, the stone room ahead was the
only way to get there. From the outside, it looked like any other stone room, but
when Yeon-woo held his hand over it with magic power, rune letters glittered over
the door. Creak. With the sound of gears turning, the stone door opened.

“Wait, I have something to…!” Just then, Ivan called out to Yeon-woo, but Yeon-woo’s
shadow suddenly stretched over him and swallowed him up. Nothing good would
come out of showing what was inside to an outsider.

The interior of the stone room that Yeon-woo entered was relatively small. There
didn’t seem to be any structures or equipment, just a black crystal ball on a pedestal
in the center of the room. To players searching for treasure, it wouldn’t look like
much, but it was what Yeon-woo needed the most in the labyrinth. He slowly climbed
the pedestal and observed the ball. It was cracked and pieces of it had fallen off. Up
close, it looked more like an egg than a ball. were different cracks on it,

[Unknown Egg]

[Category: Miscellaneous]

[Description: An egg with an undetermined utility. From its cracked appearance, it

appears restoration is necessary.]

Yeon-woo pulled out all the pieces of Kalatus’ tooth that he had gathered so far. The
black egg and the pieces floated up into the air, whirling as they merged into one. It
rotated like a Rubik’s cube then turned into a tiny fairy.

『Are you the one who woke me up?』 The fairy glowed with a blue light as he
slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was like a machine’s, completely devoid of
emotions.

Yeon-woo nodded. “Yes. You’re Uballa, the main core processor of this labyrinth,
right?”
『You recognize me, although this is my first time seeing you.』

“You can say that.”

Kalatus’ five protectors are all uniquely powerful. Their leader is Uballa, the protector
who can also be considered the main processor of the complex network of protectors.
Also, his motive for protecting the labyrinth is…

“I can’t be called a visitor if I’m visiting a grave without even knowing who the
owner’s son is.”

That he’s Kalatus’ son, whom Kalatus had no other choice but to lose a long time ago.
It’s the face he’s longed for his entire life. Although he was a great dragon king, this is
what blinded him and led to the extinction of his species.

『I never imagined I’d be called by that name after waking up from my long slumber.
』 His voice was still mechanical and emotionless, but Yeon-woo felt like he was
sighing. 『My master, Kalatus, preserved the memories of his beloved child in me,
but I’m a storage space for data. I have no identity as his child. I’m merely the system
named Uballa that watches over this labyrinth.』 Uballa spoke flatly, as though he
didn’t want to discuss it any further. 『Anyway, you must be the one whom Lord
Kalatus and Mr. Cha Jeong-woo mentioned.』

The person that Kalatus and Cha Jeong-woo had mentioned… Yeon-woo’s eyes
flashed. Did Jeong-woo leave something behind here as well? The vestige of his
brother said he had no memory of his death. Perhaps this was related. “Yes.”

『Would you like to take on the authority that was given to Mr. Cha Jeong-woo?』

“Yes.”

『Understood. There is a simple procedure to confirm. Do you accept?』

“I do.”

『Please input your password here.』

A small light sparked in front of Yeon-woo and a transparent window opened. Yeon-
woo placed his palm on it and inserted magic power. Everyone had a unique magic
power pattern. Since Yeon-woo’s had received his body type from his brother, it was
the same as Kalatus’.

『It has been confirmed. User Cha Yeon-woo will now be given the authority of user
Cha Jeong-woo.』

Suddenly, Yeon-woo felt like his body was beginning to levitate in the air.

Swoosh!

The scenery around him changed. Yeon-woo was no longer standing in a dark cave;
he was floating in mid-air, looking down at the labyrinth.

“I think I’ve uncovered the secret to this place. How about we work together for a
moment, Head Bishop?”

He saw Waltz speaking to the Head Bishop.

“Shit! Cain! Where is Cain! It’s not like what you said! Where are you!”

“Your Majesty, please compose your… aaack!”

“I’ll eat it all! I’ll gobble it all up!”

Elsewhere, he saw the Gluttony Emperor suddenly losing his mind from the Dragon’s
Curse after failing to control his magic power.

“So this is the Dragon Labyrinth.”

“There are a lot of moths flying into the fire here.

He saw Black Dragon and Green Dragon working together to push away hundreds of
players at the entrance in order to get inside.

“Aaack! Fuck! What is that? A guard? What the…!”

Some were fighting Balnanta.

“Headquarters! Why can’t I contact headquarters?!”

“All contact has just been cut off!”

He could also see a huge number of players getting swept away by the guards after
falling into random spaces inside the labyrinth. That wasn’t all. He could see the
locations of all the traps set-up in each tunnel and stone room, and the active
protectors. He now had the authority to change the settings for everyone since his
brother had been given the authority of head administrator.

With Uballa continually accessing him, he received all the authorizations to change
the labyrinth as he wished. He almost felt dizzy from the rush of information.

『Be careful not to be swept away by the information. The moment you are dazed by
the labyrinth, you will lose your identity.』

Yeon-woo closed his eyes, catching his breath for a moment, and opened them again.
His expanded world of consciousness from his Demonic Draconic Divine Body
smoothly processed the information of the labyrinth and slowly synchronized him
with it.

[You now have complete access.]

In that instant, Yeon-woo felt like he could do anything within the labyrinth, as
though he had the power of a transcendent like a god or a demon. He wasn’t worried
about anything, and he was prepared to let the confusion grow rather than interrupt
it. He located Edora, and after confirming that she was safely moving through the
labyrinth, he raised his head and soared higher than ever, slicing through the clouds.

He finally reached the center of the labyrinth and saw a grand, floating castle. It was
Laputa, Kalatus’ lair and final haven. It was also the secret location of Arthia’s clan
house. Within the labyrinth, there were hidden otherworlds.

Yeon-woo tried to approach the castle, but before he began beating his Fire Wings,
he paused. The sky over the castle should have been a clear blue, but it was stained
with darkness, and strange objects that looked like tentacles were creeping towards
Laputa. “Hm?”

Yeon-woo’s eyes widened at the sight that even the diary didn’t reveal. It occurred to
him all of a sudden that this might be the thing that Kalatus had warned him about.
“What is that?” He turned to Uballa. Since Uballa was the system core of the
labyrinth’s defenses, he would probably know what it was.

『I don’t know. Neither does the vestige my master left behind. All that we know is
that being comes from a place so far away that even the old sages of our species
didn’t recognize it. It doesn’t have a name, so it’s commonly referred to as the
“otherworld god”. It is trying to use this island as a gateway.』 Uballa spoke in an
impassive voice as he watched the black tentacles. 『The old sages of the great
species called it Crawling Chaos.』
“Fuck…! There’s no end to these crazy objects even after destroying them over and
over.” How did things go so wrong? Before crossing through the portal with Green
Dragon, they had been hopeful. They would take all the legacies of the dragon king,
and accomplish what their mother hadn’t been able to do.

However, their dreams were crushed as soon as they entered the labyrinth. Their
subordinates were scattered to who-knew-where, and when he tried to look for
them, the guards and the Spartoi violently attacked. Even after destroying them…
clack! Clack!

[The ‘Dragon’s Curse’ has been strengthened.]

[2nd trial: Create your own path.]

Something like black fog swirled in the air, and the fallen corpses began to rise. They
pointed their swords at Tom, their appearances exactly like the Spartoi that had
already fallen. The Dragon’s Curse had the vicious quality of forcing the dead to block
the intruders.

“Damn it!” Tom exploded with rage and ran forward. He transformed into his real
body, an ornithopod, and began to push away everything in his way. 『I’ll kill you all!
』 It was of utmost importance that he found his other siblings using the crystal
bead their mother had left them.

Boom! Crash. After roaming around the labyrinth for a while, Tom had gathered a few
of his subordinates and found his brothers in a stone room.

『You look fantastic.』 Tom smirked at his dirt-smeared brothers incredulously.

Although he wasn’t doing too well himself, his tough hide torn and bleeding, Hyall,
Leesoo, and Bahratan were even worse off.

Hyall was covered in blood and gasping for breath as he leaned against a wall, while
Leesoo, in his wyvern form, had lost his left wing. Bahratan seemed to be doing
relatively better. He healed the others with magic, one of his eyes wrapped in
bandages.

Their subordinates lay on the ground. Those who hadn’t been ripped to shreds were
on their last breaths. Not a single one had made it through unscathed.

Tom licked his lips as he looked at them. One method of recovering quickly from
injury was to absorb dragon blood that contained Draconic Factors. He had already
eaten Triger in the past, so he knew how delicious dragon blood was. Swallowing
dragon blood didn’t just heal you, it also increased your level, so you could become
even closer to the Draconic species.

“Don’t think of anything foolish, Tom.” Bahratan growled, as though he could read his
mind. Hyall and Leesoo looked at him with alert expressions too.

He might have been able to deal with one of them, but he couldn’t handle all three at
the same time, even though they were injured. Tom was forced to take a step back. 『
I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I have no plans to hurt my brothers.』

“What a load of bullshit. We’re working together because of Kalatus’ legacy, but keep
in mind that it doesn’t mean we trust you.”

『OK, OK. Pushing the youngest into a corner like this is too cruel.』

‘There will be another chance.’

Tom quickly changed the subject. 『How did you all end up in this state?』 Even
though they were inferior to Waltz and Tom, the three leaders of Green Dragon were
powerful enough to be candidates for the next open spot among the Nine Kings.

Tom couldn’t believe that even though the three of them were working together, they
were still injured so badly. And even worse, it seemed like it had been done by one
person. Who had managed to defeat his brothers on his own? Had they met one of
the Nine Kings?

“It’s that guy.”

『That guy?』
“Quiet. He’s coming this way.”

Tom turned to the direction that Bahratan was looking at. He could sense something
approaching them from beyond the corner. Thud! Thud!

“Dragon meat, give me dragon meat…!” The half-crazed Gluttony Emperor was
stalking towards them with saliva dripping out of his mouth.

***

“Crawling Chaos?” Yeon-woo murmured to himself. He remembered something from

the depths of the diary.

Transcendent beings like gods, demons, dragons, and Giants have lived in the Tower
since the origin of time. However, these transcendent beings don’t only reside in the
Tower. Some of them live in other dimensions that most players can’t see, which are
called otherworlds.

Sometimes, a few of the transcendents in the otherworlds take an interest in the Tower
and occasionally approach it. However, their minds are so different that it’s impossible
to tell what they’re thinking.

The Draconic species has watched and guessed their movements for a long period of
time, and they call them otherworld gods.

The Draconic species hadn’t observed that many otherworld gods. They didn’t have a
solid form or else they were too large to measure. At times, they were nested in
multiple dimensions and subspaces, so it was tricky to view them. Even if they did
manage to see one, it was uncommon to see the same being twice. Some were so
sluggish, it was hard to tell if they were even alive.

Still, they had managed to observe a few that were active and were interested in the
Tower. They named them according to the traits they possessed.

Crawling Chaos was one of the most active beings, and unlike the others who seemed
indifferent to the outside world, it recognized the Tower and displayed a great deal
of curiosity. However, it approached the Tower in such a simple and unreadable
manner, It was like a cat interested in a ball of yarn without knowing why or what it
wanted exactly.
The only thing that anyone knew about it was that it had an extensive knowledge.
When his brother had still been active, he hadn’t taken much interest when he’d
heard about otherworld gods. However, now that a being like that was threatening
Laputa, it was no wonder that Kalatus had asked Yeon-woo to rush. “Why is that
here?”

『It is because of a vow made in the past.』

“Vow?”

Uballa shut his mouth, as though he couldn’t speak about it any further.

Yeon-woo clucked his tongue. Actually, he had an idea of what the vow was. “Then
what’s Allforone doing?” He was so fastidious about preventing the gods and demons
from approaching the lower world, why would he leave such a being alone?

『This is dragon territory, Binah.』

Yeon-woo cursed when he heard Uballa’s response. “Well, damn it.” Just as Allforone
couldn’t interfer in Hades’ territory Tartarus, Allforone had no way to enter the
labyrinth and Laputa, which were Kalatus’ territory. Unless the Crawling Chaos took
over Laputa and came out onto the stage, Allforone wouldn’t step in. The only thing
he cared about was the safety of the lower world and the seventy-seventh floor. Was
the Crawling Chaos aware of this and moving deliberately?

『Will you go up?』

“Of course.”

『It may consume you. To a mortal, otherworld gods are… 』

“Dangerous. I’ve heard that people have lost their minds just looking at one.”
However, Yeon-woo had already killed gods and gained partial holiness, so he was
confident he wouldn’t be too affected by the Crawling Chaos. He had to figure out
what happened. ‘The legacy Jeong-woo left behind is there too.’ He needed to get
inside Arthia’s clan house.

Yeon-woo flapped his Fire Wings and headed for Laputa. Uballa watched him in
concern and soon followed with his own wings.
Laputa was higher than he thought, and as he approached the black tentacles
loomed. It probably saw Yeon-woo as little more than a bug and didn’t even notice
him. From what Yeon-woo could tell, it was at least as powerful as Mother Earth in
Tartarus. ‘And this is only a part of it?’

It was shocking that it could already match Mother Earth without its full body. Of
course, he also hadn’t experienced the full Mother Earth in Tartarus, but he could tell
how mighty this cosmic being was. He felt dizzy just by looking at it. ‘I’ll be swept
away if I don’t get a grip on myself.’

Just as a black hole sucked in everything, even dust, he felt that a single misstep
would cause him to fall into the Crawling Chaos, too. The familiars in his Soul
Collection were all screaming for him to move away. He was controlling them with
the power of the Black King, but it wasn’t easy.

「Master.」 Just as he was about to turn back because of the danger, Boo suddenly
spoke up. Boo had never addressed him first before since he thought it was
disrespectful. Yeon-woo cocked his head.

‘What’s wrong?’

「May I… take a look… at that?」

Why was he suddenly acting like this? Then, Yeon-woo remembered a part of Boo’s
lost memories: as Faust, he had managed to contact an otherworld god and gained
knowledge from him to complete the Emerald Tablet. Now that he thought about it,
Crawling Chaos was the otherworld god most interested in the Tower. Perhaps Faust
had reached this particular being.

「I’m definitely… seeing it… for the first time… but it’s also familiar.」 Boo’s blue
eyes were focused on the Crawling Chaos. 「I want to… know more.」

“It’ll be dangerous.”

「I’ll… be careful.」

“Rebecca.”

Swish.
“Go with Boo.”

「Thank… you.」 Boo bowed and headed for the thermosphere where the black
tentacles were. Yeon-woo thought Boo would be in less danger of being swept away
by the Crawling Chaos’ influence if he had Cernunnos’ spirit, Rebecca, by his side. He
watched them move away and slowly landed in Laputa.

Laputa was as elaborate and beautiful as he’d seen in the diary. There were dozens of
soaring structures, and a sturdy fortress wrapped around them. A deep moat was
sandwiched between the outer and inner castle, and magnificent trees stood tall in
the garden.

Even after Kalatus closed his eyes and his brother, the administrator, disappeared,
Laputa’s system continued to take care of it. The barrier that prevented the Crawling
Chaos from getting closer recognized Yeon-woo and allowed him to land.

Yeon-woo walked on the neatly paved paths towards the center of the castle. As he
passed, the closed doors burst open and the security systems cleared him. He
reached the great hall, and found a stupendous figure hundreds of meters long
sitting there quietly.

『You’ve finally arrived.』 He was as big as Yeon-woo had sensed through Edora.
However, with his shadow gone, he looked frail, as if he would be destroyed any
moment. Crackle. Kalatus’ vestige looked so weak that it seemed like he might
collapse at any moment. His tough hide had shrunk over his bones, revealing how
thin he was. 『I’ve been waiting for you.』 He was having a hard time seeing, and he
narrowed his eyes. 『O new successor of the Black King.』

Yeon-woo asked him a question. “Were you the one who took care of Jeong-woo at
the end?”

『No. I was not.』

Yeon-woo felt like he had been splashed with cold water. The pocket watch trembled
too, probably because Jeong-woo was listening in through his subconscious. Kalatus’
words were too shocking. If he hadn’t been the one who’d taken Jeong-woo’s body
from his enemies and sent it to Earth, who did?

『It was a half-Giant child who said he was Jeong-woo’s friend.』 Yeon-woo’s eyes
widened in shock when Kalatus spoke the name. 『Valdebich. I think that’s his
name.』
Valdebich was the first friend Jeong-woo had made after he stepped inside the
Tutorial. He was also one of the founding members of Arthia, along with Vieira Dune.
He was a pitiful person who was never certain of his identity as a half-Giant, but at
the same time, he was a warrior who could decimate his enemies as they showed up,
making everyone fear him.

Why would the person who had disappeared without a reason and hurt Jeong-woo
take care of him in his final moments? Why? The pocket watch trembled. Kalatus’
casual answer was too shocking.

“What… happened?” Yeon-woo quieted his turbulent mind. However, the voice that
escaped from between his tightened lips boiled with anger. Valdebich hadn’t been
there when Jeong-woo needed him, but he had appeared at the end—for what
reason? Was it out of pity? Or was he feeling guilty? Neither was acceptable to Yeon-
woo.

『Of course, as expected, your first question is about Jeong-woo.』

“There’s no one more important to me. What happened?”

『Your brotherly love is really second to none. Until the end, that child Jeong-woo
thought of you, as well.』

Yeon-woo’s eyes flashed. “I get it, so please stop changing the subject. Where is
Jeong-woo’s soul?”

[5th Step Dragon Body Awakening]

Yeon-woo released the power of his Demonic Divine Draconic Body right away,
operating his Dragon Heart and Philosopher’s Stone simultaneously. Scales rose
along his skin, and when his tail sprang out, a fierce energy storm whirled around
him. He pulled Vigrid out of subspace and raised it high. It was a silent
demonstration that he wouldn’t stay quiet if Kalatus continued to avoid his
questions.

『You’ve improved on what I gave you. In the past, I would’ve grimaced at this
mutation, but… it’s not too bad.』 Kalatus nodded as he looked Yeon-woo up and
down, satisfied. However, he also had a bittersweet feeling when he realized that no
pure-blooded dragons were left in the Tower since Yeon-woo had other energies in
him, too.

Yeon-woo’s eyebrows twitched. He was just about to swing Vigrid.

『I didn’t know that child named Valdebich knew about this labyrinth.』

Yeon-woo’s hand paused. Kalatus had never told Valebich about the labyrinth? That
could only mean one thing.

『Jeong-woo probably told him about it a long time ago.』

Yeon-woo was silent.

『At the time, it hadn’t been that long since I’d awakened from my slumber. This
body is a temporary fix created for emergencies.』 When the ancient dragon Kalatus
had been alive, he had only wished for one thing: that the species that had gone
extinct from his mistake would be revived. He wished for Draconic Factors to remain
in the Tower for a long time.

However, that hope dimmed after Jeong-woo died, and Kalatus’ vestige had
awakened in Laputa so that he could come up with another solution to find a new
successor.

『In the middle of all that, the half-Giant child appeared and asked me if he could
take Jeong-woo’s body. He said he wanted to send his body home.』

Yeon-woo still didn’t speak.

『So I opened the gate to Earth… and he disappeared again after the funeral.』

Yeon-woo ground his teeth. “Do you know where he went?”

『No. I can only stay in Laputa and my senses are restricted here too.』

Yeon-woo clenched his fists. What had Valdebich been up to for so long, and why did
he appear as though he’d been expecting Jeong-woo’s end? The trembling pocket
watch stilled. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll find him, no matter what.’ Yeon-woo muttered as he
stroked the watch. He’d always intended on facing Valdebich, but it seemed like he
would have to look for him immediately after resolving his business here.

Unfortunately, no one knew where he was, and even the Night Watch from the Outer
District couldn’t find a single trace of him. Still, since he was now at Laputa, Yeon-
woo thought he might be able to retrace Valdebich’s steps and perhaps uncover
some clues. Yeon-woo looked up at Kalatus. Valdebich was important, but there was
something of greater priority to him. “Where is Jeong-woo’s soul?”

『Where it’s supposed to be.』

Where it’s supposed to be? Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes. “What are you…!”

『In a deep abyss, an egg where darkness and confusion have merged. The place
where countless beings come to life and die. That thing, that place. Anyway, there are
many words to describe this, but we commonly call it… 』 Kalatus’ eyes narrowed.
『Emptiness or darkness.』

Suddenly, the Cast of the Black King around Yeon-woo’s wrists, ankles, and neck,
trembled. Urrrrng. They nearly fell off from a vibration that was so intense that it
caused Yeon-woo pain. Yeon-woo was so shocked that he shouted without thinking,
“Why would Jeong-woo…!”

『Just as salmon return home after they’re fully grown, your brother followed his
instinct and returned to his origin.』

Instinct?

『Do you think it’s a coincidence that the Black King’s inheritance was passed down
to you? Or that your brother had the talent of Perfect Adaptability and was chosen by
me?』

Urrrrrng. The trembling grew even more intense.

『You and your brother are two sides of a mirror, and you cannot be divided…!』
Kalatus was forced to stop in the middle of his sentence by a long cry in the sky. The
world seemed to ring and

Laputa shook as though it were about to collapse.

Ooooo.

Ooooooo.

Crack. Cracks began to appear on the ceiling of the castle as though they were
eggshells falling apart. Black tentacles began to squeeze through them—the
Crawling Chaos, which had always wanted to swallow Laputa, was making its move.

Kalatus smiled ruefully as he looked at the ceiling and bowed to Yeon-woo. 『I asked
for time, but it seems that it hasn’t been enough. I wish to speak with you further, but
I really do not have much time left.』

“Where are you going?! We still have more to…!”

『Before I leave, I’ll tell you this: if you want to find Jeong-woo’s soul—although I
don’t know if his soul is still at the place that swallows everything—but if you want
to find it… 』 Kalatus looked at Yeon-woo sadly. 『Return to darkness. Your path will
be there!』

Crack. Clang! The ceiling broke, and the tentacles almost reached Kalatus. 『But the
darkness may swallow you since you don’t have divinity yet. Simply getting there
will be an arduous journey.』

Crackle. As the tentacles dug into Kalatus’ vestige, it began to create static. Believing
Kalatus would truly disappear at this rate, Yeon-woo brandished Vigrid. There were
still so many things he wanted Kalatus to tell him. Why was Jeong-woo’s soul in that
emptiness or darkness, and what did he mean about looking for the path there? Was
it related to the Black King or the Demonism? If so, how much did he know? Why
didn’t Kalatus explain what it was? Yeon-woo couldn’t allow him to vanish after
leaving behind all those riddles.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???,’ ‘Durendal,’ is released.]

[Folklore: Cutting in two with one strike of the sword]

Swish. When Wave of Fire and Heaven Bracket mixed with the extreme pressure
from Vigrid, a storm of flames swept through half of the castle and lashed at the
black tentacles. Whoosh. The flames tried to rise along the black tentacles and climb
up, but as soon as they touched the tentacles, they disappeared.

More tentacles slid out, tightening around Kalatus. No matter how many times Yeon-
woo swung Vigrid, the tentacles didn’t disappear but only grew larger. Before the
darkness overwhelmed him, Kalatus shouted at Yeon-woo with a pitying gaze. 『
Please, fulfill the goal that Jeong-woo and I couldn’t… o new speaker. The clan house,
search that…!』

Fizz. Kalatus’ vestige scattered like a sandcastle hit by a wave, and the tentacles
began to suck it up.

Oooo. Ooooo.

Satisfied, the Crawling Chaos retracted its tentacles and returned to the sky. The
cosmic being that stained the entire thermosphere black was attempting to return to
where it came from.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

[The Channel with Nergal has been restored.]

[The Channel with Halphas has been restored.]

[The Channel with Vimalacitra has been restored.]

[The reconnected gods quickly confirm the situation.]

[The reconnected demons are taken aback by the being you’re facing.]

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: No! I don’t know what’s going on, but you mustn’t touch that!
[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Listen to m…!]

[Messages have been blocked with the user’s authorization.]

Since the owner of the curse that covered the labyrinth had disappeared, the
Channels were being restored. Yeon-woo gathered the channels together and spread
his wings.

[All powers have been released.]

The Fire Wings on Yeon-woo’s back combined with his dragon wings and
transformed into three layers of black wings: Sky Wings. With them, he soared up to
the sky and blasted out with all of the skills and powers he had, attempting to make
the being let go of Kalatus.

However, he only left a few holes in the quavering darkness. Most of the Crawling
Chaos had already moved past the gate and was fading away.

“Damn it!” Pushing his Dragon Heart and Philosopher’s Stone to their limits, Yeon-
woo raised Vigird. A column of fire skyrocketed up and set all of Laputa aflame,
splitting the sky in two. The sparks that bounced out of it exploded as well and filled
the stage.

Through the dark clouds, tiny eyes watched Yeon-woo. In an instant, languages and
information that couldn’t be put into words poured into him, his dragon-like
thinking helping him make sense of it all.

Darkness.

Not.

Yet.

Oooooo.

The Crawling Chaos eventually disappeared through the gate, leaving Laputa in
flames at the center of the labyrinth. The sky was now a gloomy color.
Yeon-woo ground his teeth. He had been defeated by another transcendent being
after Mother Earth and Allforone. The more he tried to uncover information about
his brother, the less he understood. It seemed like his path was blocked by
transcendent beings and he couldn’t find more clues. Did it have to end like this?

No. He knew he still had one last hope: the thing squirming inside of the
Philosopher’s Stone. “Demonism.”

There was no answer.

“I know you’re watching. Help me. Please.”

It was still quiet.

“Dammit!”

The Demonism didn’t even budge, as though it had nothing to do with him. Yeon-woo
punched the ground helplessly. Was his only option to gain transcendence first?

At that moment, the space in front of him opened and Boo appeared. He was severely
injured, and even his magic power had been damaged by his investigation of the
Crawling Chaos. However, he held a glowing golden eye in his large hand.

「I… pulled out… Kalatus’ eye… from… the Crawling Chaos… 」

When had he done it? “You?”

「You must… open the path… to darkness.」 At those words, Boo departed for the
dungeons to heal his grave injuries.

Yeon-woo tightened his hold on Kalutus’ eye and activated the power of the Black
King. The three Casts were still shaking.

[‘Summon of the Dead’ has activated.]

[Who would you like to summon?]

“Kalatus.”

Kalatus’ golden eye scattered into the air and floated up.
[The designated item has been infected.]

[The being you are attempting to summon cannot be found.]

[The being you have summoned has been affected for some unknown reason, and a
search for a similar being is being undertaken.]

[The ‘Demonic Dragon of Chaos’ infected by ‘Crawling Chaos’ is being summoned

forcibly.]

Swoosh. The curse that protected Laputa and the center of the labyrinth exploded.
Boom! Waltz slowly pulled her fist back after punching. After the dark energy was
released from her fist, steam floated up from it.

[You have successfully subjugated the graveyard keeper ‘Vasuki’.]

[A part of the ‘Dragon’s Curse’ has been removed.]

‘It gets more amazing the more I look at it. The magic of the Draconic species and the
Mugong of the One-horned tribe… the Summer Queen chose her successor well.’ The
Head Bishop smiled ruefully as he watched Waltz. The first time he’d met her, he’d
seriously contemplated whether he needed to awaken the power of the Seven
Demon Kings because his strength was lacking in comparison to hers after the
Channel with the Heavenly Demon had been disconnected.

However, Waltz just looked him and the bishop over and asked if they wanted to
move forward together. It meant their truce still held, and they would work together
until they at least found their subordinates. After all, none of them knew what was
hiding in the labyrinth. The Head Bishop had agreed because he had no reason not
to. However, it dawned on him that Waltz didn’t need their help at all.

‘She really has discovered the secret of the labyrinth. You have to collect the pieces
that appear after breaking the protectors?’ The more pieces of Kalatus’ tooth she
gathered, the more Waltz’s power returned. ‘And it appears she somewhat knows
her way around.’

The Head Bishop still didn’t know how to navigate the complicated labyrinth, but
Waltz seemed to have figured it out. The Head Bishop assumed that she had used her
draconic magic to help her.

At any rate, the Head Bishop managed to head towards the center of the labyrinth
with Waltz’s help, and he reunited with many of his subordinates in the stone rooms
along the way. Although seventy percent of the Devil Army’s forces was missing or
dead, it wasn’t a bad result considering the difficulty of the labyrinth.
Furthermore, the players that they encountered by chance immediately threw their
weapons down and surrendered. Soon, the group following Waltz grew to about a
hundred members.

‘White Dragon might be able to build up their position after getting through this
danger.’ There wasn’t a better way than this for players to observe her.

‘I have to find the key, too.’ His eyes grew thoughtful. Thankfully, as he began to
circulate the power of the Seven Demon Kings, his blocked Channels slowly
recovered bit by bit. After it was complete, the only thing he wanted to do was find
Yeon-woo, the root of all this.

Rumble. Just then, Waltz stopped moving forward for the first time. As they saw her
stare at the empty air, the players behind her looked up, too, wondering what was
there. Just as the Head Bishop was about to ask her what she was doing, Waltz
muttered, “It’s awake.”

The moment the Head Bishop was about to ask what she was doing, Waltz muttered
first.

The Head Bishop felt chills down his back. “What?”

“The owner of the labyrinth.” Before she could say more, the labyrinth began to
shake.

The Head Bishop could feel all his senses and the strength of the Seven Demon Kings
fluctuating around him.

『Ha! Haha! To think I’d feel this here!』

『Oh dear… 』

『You couldn’t expect any less from the Black King. I didn’t imagine it would be this
difficult to find the key.』

『The Crawling Chaos… 』

The disconnected Channels began to return one by one. The static made it hard to
understand what they were saying, but they were definitely voices belonging to the
Seven Demon Kings. However, one of their voices could be heard as plain as day.

『Watch out.』

It was the voice of their leader, the Bull Demon King.

“Everyone get d—!” The Head Bishop was about to shout when realized that it was
too late. He clapped his hands together, shooting his magic power around them to
form a barrier.

Boom! The labyrinth quaked before exploding. Rumble.

“Th-the labyrinth is collap… aaack!”

“What is this? Aaaack!”

It was a bolt from the blue for those who were occupied with searching for treasure.
Many of the players were swept away by the falling rubble and buried alive. Those
who were more skilled quickly used scrolls and artifacts to escape the torrent of
magic power. The large size of the collapsing labyrinth meant that its impact spread
throughout the entire stage.

“What…!” The players who were about to enter the labyrinth after hearing the
rumors…

“Damn it! Use your suspension magic! The stage is behaving strangely!” The semi-
rankers in the middle of their trials in the Dragon Temple…

“What did that Hoarder do now?” And the rankers who had heard rumors of the
ruined thirty-fifth floor…

They all quickly began to retreat from the temple. However, the ground cracked
beneath them, and a high-magnitude earthquake burst out with even more
destructive force. Innumerable players died or went missing.

Then, a humongous shadow appeared on the ground with a loud roar, paralyzing the
survivors with shock. A huge dragon—a species thought to already be extinct—
stood tall and bellowed.

[The corrupted dragon king Kalatus has emerged!]

[At Kalatus’ will, the entire 50th floor has been designated as dragon territory.]

[The ‘Dragon’s Curse’ is being applied to the entire stage.]

[The ‘Dragon’s Curse’ has been strengthened by the ‘Crawling Chaos’.]

[All players’ Channels have been blocked.]

[All abilities have decreased.]

[All immunities have decreased.]

The curse of Kalatus that had been limited to the labyrinth now spread throughout
the stage. The sky turned dark as all the laws that made up the stage were sealed,
affecting all Channels, powers, and skills.

“Wh-what’s going on…!”

“This can’t be happening!”

It was bad news for the players that had barely managed to avoid the earthquake.

Another message popped up.

[All players who have entered the 50th floor ‘Dragon Temple’ are being given a
sudden quest!]

[Hunt the boss monster, ‘Corrupted Dragon King, Kalatus’.]

[Quest / Kill the Dragon]

[Description: The ancient dragon Kalatus entered into a contract with an otherworld
god, ‘Crawling Chaos’, in order to resurrect his child, Uballa. The knowledge gained
through ‘Crawling Chaos’ informed him that his chances of success would increase if
he gained holiness and transcendence. He attempted to climb the Tower, but he was
blocked by Allforone on the 77th floor. He led the entire species to war against
Allforone and initiated the great war that would later be called the Second Dragon
Massacre, which resulted in the extinction of the Draconic species.

Barely clinging to life, Kalatus returned to his residence, the labyrinth, to regret his
past choices and await death. After only leaving behind a successor, he gave up his
soul to the otherworld god as part of the contract and was contaminated.

Now, the dragon king has been summoned due to unknown reasons. Despite his
contaminated state, the remnants of his consciousness has made him furious that his
haven is being intruded upon. The temple honoring his ancestors is no longer
serving its purpose. Kalatus will punish those who have interrupted his slumber.

The angrier he grows, the more he will open the door for the ‘Crawling Chaos,’ whose
influence in the Tower will grow. Players currently on the stage cannot escape
Kalatus’ territory or request for help. Together, survive the new disaster, Kalatus, or
overcome the Dragon’s Curse and successfully eradicate it.]

[Qualification of Participation: Players on the 50th floor]

[Time Limit: 72 hours]

[Rewards:

1. Title ‘Opponent of Dragons’

2. Additional rewards based on contribution]

[Penalties if the quest is not completed:

1. Destruction of 50th floor

2. Prohibition on moving to another floor

3. Death of all participating players]

“A ‘great disaster’. What a crazy problem.” With his subordinates, the Head Bishop
landed far away at the ends of the stage. He clucked his tongue. A great disaster was
a term used to indicate a quest that was nearly impossible to complete. He’d been on
the verge of reconnecting to the Seven Demon Kings only to have his Channels
blocked again.
With both escape and a request for aid blocked, how were they supposed to hunt the
dragon? “I suppose many will die.” It seemed like thirty percent of the players had
already perished, and the Head Bishop’s eyes darkened.

In the distance, Kalatus had unfurled his wings and was soaring up to the sky. The
large-scale raid began.

***

Yeon-woo quietly landed at a precipice at the edge of the stage. He clenched his
teeth. ‘I… didn’t think the real Kalatus would appear instead of his vestige.’ The
Summon of the Dead had failed. He’d been hoping to meet Kalatus’ vestige, which
knew his secrets, and not the true body which had already been consumed by the
Crawling Chaos.

「How pathetic. That’s the king that once led a mighty species?」 The Summer
Queen appeared next to Yeon-woo with a smirk, her long black hair flowing. She had
still been young when the Second Dragon Massacre began and only remembered him
as a noble king. The Kalatus she saw now was a disgrace.

It was already bad that he hadn’t kept his dignity as a dragon, and to think he’d
bound himself to a being that didn’t even have a proper identity and was now in that
state. She had children—nine of them, in fact—but she couldn’t understand his
motivations, nor did she want to.

“You can’t compare children born out of love with children born out of necessity.”
Yeon-woo looked at the Summer Queen with still eyes.

The Summer Queen snorted with her arms crossed. 「Looking into a lady’s head?
You’re a bum with no class.」

Even though their connection wasn’t as strong as the one he had with Shanon and
the others, Yeon-woo and Summer Queen could still share thoughts. Besides, the
Summer Queen wasn’t reluctant to reveal her mind, almost as if she were daring him
to peek into her thoughts. Considering her lofty and arrogant personality, this
attitude was understandable.

However, Yeon-woo just turned back to Kalatus, as if the Summer Queen wasn’t
worth thinking about any more. He remembered his mother’s last words to look for
his little brother and slowly widened his eyes.

[Draconic Eyes]

His eyes instantly connected to Fiery Golden Eyes and Philosopher’s Eyes and
various colors appeared in his vision. Kalatus had soared up high and was spewing
black Breath filled with poison, acid, and curses to the ground. Players ran towards
him, Effects bursting from their different skills.

The smarter ones had already realized that the “additional rewards” were the
legacies of the Draconic species, and they hoped that even with all the debuffs, the
combined efforts of the large clans, rankers, and semi-rankers would prevail.

However, in Yeon-woo’s eyes, they just seemed like foolish soldiers. Although the
others couldn’t see it, his eyes showed him the black tentacles dangling from the sky
around Kalatus’ body. It meant the Crawling Chaos had borrowed Kalatus’ body to
interfere in the Tower.

‘The reason why we only have seventy-two hours is likely because that’s the
maximum amount of time that the dragon territory can take over the stage. After
that… Allforone and the Bureau will have to get involved.’

Allforone wouldn’t leave Kalatus alone now that he was a servant of the Crawling
Chaos. ‘But it’ll be the end of everything if that happens.’ Unlike the other players,
who just had to kill Kalatus, Yeon-woo had to find a way to take the dragon away
from the Crawling Chaos.

「Should I help you?」 Just then, the Summer Queen asked with a smirk, reading
Yeon-woo’s thoughts. She sneered, 「I was once called the last dragon. I know many
secrets that I could never teach to other species.」

It was tempting, but Yeon-woo couldn’t force the Summer Queen to help him like he
could with Shanon and the others. If she offered herself, it would be another matter,
but…”Stop bothering me and go away.”

「Hahaha! You’re definitely an amusing human. If you had asked me to help, you
would’ve died right then and there.」 The Summer Queen was about to lick her red
lips when Boo suddenly appeared in front of Yeon-woo with a growl.
「Do you… want to… die… 」

「Don’t stick your nose into this conversation. Go kill yourself, you lowly being. How
dare a servant step forward?」

“Both of you stop.” Yeon-woo ignored the battle of words between Boo and the
Summer Queen and slowly stood up. If the others knew he was planning to take
Kalatus from the Crawling Chaos, they’d think he was insane. ‘But it’s not
impossible.’ Yeon-woo rubbed his left hand, which contained Bathory’s Vampiric
Sword, and turned to another direction.

“A dragon, a real dragon! Hahahaha! Meat! Give me meat!” The Gluttony Emperor had
stopped fighting the leaders of Green Dragon and Black Dragon and ran to Kalatus.
He was half-crazed, saliva drooling out of his mouth. The Stone of Gula shook inside
his stomach. It seemed like the Dragon’s Curse that bound it had been loosened.

‘If I use that… ’ Yeon-woo’s eyes darkened as he thought it through. Then, he called
the small fairy, Ubala. “Uballa.”

The fairy nodded. 『Do as you wish. You are already the new master of the labyrinth
and Laftel.』

“Thanks.” He stretched his hand down towards the cliff, activating all the systems
related to Laftel through Uballa. The labyrinth exploded, and the pieces of Kalatus’
tooth scattered throughout it floated up in the air. They whirled around Ubala, who
stood in the center and quietly closed his eyes. Clack.

[You have successfully completed the hidden quest (Curse Immunity I).]

[You have been rewarded ‘Dragon’s Blessing’.]

[You have completed the related quest (Curse Immunity II) and quest (Curse
Immunity III) in that order.]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily accomplished. Additional karma
will be provided.]

[You have acquired 100,000 karma.]

[You have acquired an additional 200,000 karma.]

[‘Dragon’s Blessing’ has been strengthened.]

[You have additionally been rewarded…]

[The artifact ‘Dragon Root’ has been completed.]

A square chip fell in Yeon-woo’s hand. It was the main processor of the labyrinth,
Uballa. The true process of the quests was to be acknowledged and learn about the
system. Yeon-woo pushed the Dragon Root into the back of his right hand, tearing his
skin slightly. The Dragon Root smoothly settled into the Atman System and began to
support his path of thinking and circulation.

The great minds of the dragons were too much for Yeon-woo to handle, and so
Kalatus had created the Dragon Root with this in mind.

[The related quest (Curse Immunity IV) has successfully been completed.]

[‘Dragon’s Blessing’ has been strengthened to release you from ‘Dragon’s Curse’.]

[All Channels have been restored.]

[All abilities have been restored.]

[All immunities have been restored.]

[All powers have been restored.]

Yeon-woo was the only one on the stage to be freed from Kalatus’ curse.

[5th-Step Dragon Body Awakening]

[Full Power Release]

He opened his Channels and spread his Sky Wings more powerfully than ever. ‘There
are five of the Nine Kings here: Waltz, Tom, Magnus, the Head Bishop, and the
Gluttony Emperor. Today, at least two of them will die.’ His black and red wings
spread like fire and darkened the sky.

He extended his hand forward.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Arondight has been released.]

[Folklore: Decapitation of dragons]

Yeon-woo slashed Vigrid down, and a column of fire bristling with hundreds of
lightning bolts descended from the sky.
“Dragon meat, give me dragon meat…! Dragon meat!”

“Your… Majesty! Urk!”

Duke Tarbing coughed up blood as he watched the Gluttony Emperor disappear into
the distance. He’d barely been able to find the Gluttony Emperor despite his
determination to protect his master as the labyrinth collapsed. But the Gluttony
Emperor had lost all reason.

Duke Tarbing knew what it meant. The Gluttony Emperor was starving and hadn’t
had enough nourishment because of the long battle. The worse his hunger and thirst,
the worse the Gluttony Emperor’s lunacy would become. Even Duke Tuan Tien
wouldn’t be able to stop the emperor when he was like this. He would swallow
anything he came into contact with, friend or foe. Two counts had been sacrificed
during the battle with White Dragon for this reason.

Only when his hunger was satiated would the Gluttony Emperor’s reason return, and
he would be riddled with guilt afterwards. However, things were different today. The
Gluttony Emperor had already eaten so many soldiers and enemies but he was still
unable to regain his reason. He’d immediately rushed towards Kalatus even as he
fought the three leaders of Green Dragon, muttering “Dragon meat” to himself.

Duke Tarbing tried to stop him, but the only result was his left arm being ripped off.
‘It’s too dangerous right now…!” He needed to get back up and help his master. They
had already lost over eighty percent of their forces in the labyrinth after being
conned by the Hoarder. Now that the stage was Kalatus’ territory, they had to be
prepared to lose everything and focus on figuring a way out. But even that would be
difficult with the Gluttony Emperor’s condition. There was only one option: ‘Protect
His Majesty.’

It would be impossible to escape the stage within the limited time anyway, so
retreating after protecting the Gluttony Emperor was the best course of action.
“Protect… His Majesty! All soldiers forward! Exterminate the dragon and show our
courage to the dregs of the Tower!”

At Duke Tarbing’s shout, Blood Land soldiers got into formation again and ran to
their emperor. In the meantime, Kalatus stretched his neck back and spewed Breath
again. The Breath filled with curses and poison swept through the ground and felled
the opponents that dared challenge him.

However, some players tried to attack him from above. Boom! They were the kings
who had temporarily formed an alliance to take on the great boss monster.

“A dragon with demonic energy. There’s nothing more hideous than losing your
identity. Return to the land you’re from, great dragon!” High up in the sky, Magnus
looked down at Kalatus with mixed emotions and spread his hands open. As a leader
of the Elohim, who were descendants of higher beings, he pitied Kalatus. The
Elohim’s most hated enemies were otherworld gods, as it was impossible to know
what kind of legends they had. The skills that Magnus activated were more powerful
than ever.

〈Giant Intent〉

Magnus stretched open his arms, his clothes fluttering behind him like a flag as a
powerful wave tore through Kalatus’ left wing. Kalatus writhed in pain. He didn’t fall
because his ability to fly came from magic, but he still tried to catch the bug that
tried to harm him, accidentally exposing a vulnerability. The other kings didn’t miss
the opportunity.

“Meat! Delicious dragon meat! Hahaha!” Dripping with madness, the Gluttony
Emperor appeared right in front of Kalatus. Although he was tiny in size compared to
Kalatus, his aura was powerful, and the Stone of Gula glowed with a purple energy
around his body. “If I eat that and make it mine, the stone will become completely
mine!” Crunch! The Gluttony Emperor grinned and bit down on Kalatus’ right leg. His
canines glowed with purple energy and pierced through the tough scales, even
dismembering the leg. “Meat, meat! Hahaha!”

Boom! Rumble. Waltz unsealed her Hundred Step Fist. It was a Mugong that could
attack enemies from far away. When she added magic to focus all her strength into
one spot, she managed to crush Kalatus’ left eye. A large hole appeared in the back of
his head, as though he’d been pierced through.
Tom, in his real body, descended and ripped Kalatus’ head with his teeth. With half of
his head gone, Kalatus struggled in pain, casting magic randomly around him.
However, it only affected foolish players and didn’t do much to the Nine Kings.
Despite the Dragon’s Curse, they demonstrated why they were called the Nine Kings,
unleashing their signature skills to cut off Kalatus’ wings and limbs as if to prove
why they were at the peak of the Tower.

Although Kalatus was the mighty last dragon king, the average abilities of players
had increased over the last thousands of years, and he wasn’t in his right mind after
being taken over by the Crawling Chaos.

“I tried not to do this.” The Head Bishop unleashed the power of the Seven Demon
Kings from his body with Seventy-Two Bian. “Oh well. I’ll have to overdo myself a bit.”
Light gathered on each finger. The thunder Nye, explosive Pok, destructive Pa, heat
Yeol, and burning So appeared. It was an incredible feat since each Bian was beyond
the strength of an ordinary skill, and even the former Head Bishop, Black Dawn,
could only achieve four.

Rumble! The Head Bishop struck, as if demonstrating how he’d managed to kill Black
Dawn and the other bishops. Hundreds of lighting bolts fell from the sky on Kalatus,
bursting and covering him in flames. Kalatus tried to use his magic to put the fire
out, but it only became worse and ate away at him.

“Huhu. It won’t be that easy. I combined the winds and fire of a Demon King and the
Monkey King.” The Head Bishop leaned on the bishop, catching his breath, the result
of forcing the Seven Demon Kings’ power to appear even with the Channels
disconnected. Still, the attack seemed to have been effective. Kalatus thrashed
around the stage, unable to use magic to resolve the problem.

Cliffs tumbled down, burying the temple under a landslide. Breath heated up the
atmosphere and steam rose over the ground as mountains fell.

The collapse of the labyrinth had nearly destroyed the stage, and Kalatus’ struggle
only brought further ruin.

“The dragon is falling…?”

“Now…!”

“Let’s go!”
The players all believed it was the time to attack as Kalatus stumbled in the air.
Rewards were allocated according to contribution, and if they didn’t act now as
Kalatus lost his strength, they didn’t know when they’d get another chance.

“Ahhhhhh!”

“Kill him! Catch him!”

The players all ran to end Kalatus’ life, activating their individual skills, and the light
from their Effects was blinding.

『Hahaha! That guy is mine!』

『What are you talking about?! Mine!』

『Get out of the way! I will take the dragon king’s heart!』

In the lead were the three leaders of Green Dragon, Hyall, Leesoo, and Baharatan,
who were still injured by their fight with the Gluttony Emperor. However, they
rushed forward in hopes of taking the last dragon king’s blood and complete their
awakenings as Draconic species.

In his wyvern form, Leeson flapped his lone wing and dashed forward. 『Hahaha! I’ll
take…!』 He was cut off in mid-sentence. As soon as he tried to jump in the fire to
chew on Kalatus’ head, another hand suddenly shot up from below and ripped him
in two.

“My meat! Don’t touch my meat!” The Gluttony Emperor, who had been eating
Kalatus the entire time, growled like a beast. Although his body was covered in
horrendous-looking burns, the purple light in his eyes made him look terrifying.

『Leesoo!』

『How dare you touch my brother!』

Hyall and Baharatan cried out as they watched their brother’s gruesome death.
Although they argued at the drop of a hat, they all saw each other as brothers since
they shared the blood of the Summer Queen. They never wanted any one of them to
die like that.
However, that short moment of inattention brought another death. Kalatus, whom
they thought was on the brink of death, raised his head and snatched Hyall.

『No…!』 It was the last thing Hyall would say. Crunch! Kalatus chomped on Hyall
like gum and swallowed him. Hyall’s blood dribbled down his chin. The dragon
king’s eyes refocused now that he’d healed a bit. He roared again despite his broken
body wrapped in the flames, regaining his vitality.

[The demonic energy of the ‘Corrupted Dragon King, Kalatus’ has successfully been
removed. His hidden holy power is activating.]

[Warning! The second phase is beginning.]

The atmosphere was plunged in Dragon Fear. The players running towards the
dragon turned pale. The pressure on the stage grew even heavier, as though gravity
had increased. A hundred players around Kalatus were instantly reduced to scraps of
flesh and blood. The scorching winds blew once more, turning the ground over and
sweeping the players away.

『No… way… This can’t be…!』 Baharatan was flung to the ground, his wings, legs,
and tail all dislocated. His frightened eyes were fixed on Kalatus, who was looking in
his direction. Baharatan was little more than prey overwhelmed with terror as a
predator leagues above him in power stared at him.

It was only at this moment that Baharatan realized what he was doing. A lower-class
dragon like him was no match for the dragon king. He had made a mistake. Kalatus
bent down to absorb Baharatan’s blood as well, his shadow looming over Baharatan.

At that moment, the sky brightened as though another sun had appeared, and a
massive column of fire fell to the ground. Whoosh.

Kalatus stopped biting Baharatan’s neck and quickly looked up, flapping his wings to
cover his body. However, the fire not only instantly turned Bahartan into ash but
changed direction and cut through Kalatus’ imperfections. Kalatus’ imperfections
were a Channel that connected him to the Crawling Chaos. Without it, the holy power
which had no owner overloaded, and Kalatus convulsed. On top of that, Vigrid sliced
through his body with the folklore of Lancelot killing dragons.

Blood poured out of his torn skin, enough to create a lake, only to evaporate from the
heat. Kalatus cried out loudly in pain as his existence began to disappear.

The players frozen by Dragon Fear and Pressure were speechless from shock. To
them, it seemed as though the sun itself had cut through Kalatus. When they saw that
the sun was changing directions again and heading for them, it was too late. They
didn’t even have the chance to shout or activate skills before they were turned to
ashes. A tornado of fire swept away their remains before rushing through everything
else, as though it wanted to remove all traces of existence from the stage.

The mercenaries and magicians of the Lion Alliance, Blood Land, the Elohim, White
Dragon, Green Dragon, Black Dragon, the Devil Army, and rankers and others who
came to the labyrinth all disappeared in a flash.

However, it didn’t stop there. The column of fire divided the stage again and again,
sweeping through everything, connecting sparks until Fire Lightning descended. A
disaster was swallowing up the stage.

Even the Nine Kings couldn’t avoid it. They had used most of their strength from
dealing with Kalatus, and with the Dragon’s Curse still in effect, they couldn’t escape
injury. All of Waltz’s Nascent Soul Bodies were destroyed, and Tom’s right arm was
cut off. The Head Bishop pitched over after forcefully using the power of Seven
Demon Kings again, and Magnus was at death’s door from trying to protect his
subordinates. When what seemed like eternity passed and the hellfire had burned
out, a deep voice rang out. “Domain Declaration.”

Darkness descended.

[The dragon territory ‘Binah’ has been declared.]

The sparks lightning up the world suddenly extinguished, and shadows stretched out
over the still-steaming ground. Spirit Guai appeared above them. Keekeekee!

Laughing ghoulishly, they attacked the players still clinging to life. The entire place
was filled with delicious souls and they voraciously filled their stomachs. The stage
filled with screams of terror.

“Aaaack! Save me!”

“Aaaack! Aaaaaaack!”
“Hoarder! Why is the Hoarder… urk!”

The players of Blood Land who still didn’t know what was going on and believed
Yeon-woo to be their ally suffered even more painfully from his betrayal.

“Cain!” In the midst of this hell, the Gluttony Emperor lifted his head after crawling
out from under Kalatus. His burned face, which had been filled with hunger and
thirst, was now filled with rage and hate. “Why? Why?” He seemed to have regained
some of his reason and cried out, wanting to know why Cain had done this. He’d
treated Yeon-woo so well, the Gluttony Emperor didn’t understand what was going
on. They’d made a plan to get rid of their enemies, how could Cain betray them?
“Why?"

Yeon-woo looked down from the sky with a cold smile. “Let me teach you now.” He
dove towards the ground with his Sky Wings spread open. Wave of Fire enveloped
the Gluttony Emperor once again.
Boom! The Gluttony Emperor’s hand and Vigrid collided as Yeon-woo descended.
Black Aura exploded as Wave of Fire whirled violently around the Gluttony Emperor
to tear him apart.

“Teach me? What can a scumbag like you teach me?!” The Gluttony Emperor ripped
the whirlwind apart and ran towards Yeon-woo, his bulging stomach growing even
bigger and shooting forward like a battering ram trying to burst through a door.

Yeon-woo wrapped his wings around himself to block the Gluttony Emperor. The
impact of their collision made black fire soar up to the sky once more.

“Hoarder! You’re finally showing your face!”

“You dare massacre the precious citizens of our country? You will not be forgiven!”
Duke Tuan Tien and Duke Tarbing appeared at each side of the Gluttony Emperor,
aiming their attacks at Yeon-woo.

They had rushed over after realizing that the Gluttony Emperor was in danger from
their connection with the Stone of Gula. However, their attacks couldn’t even get
through as Yeon-woo’s shadow lengthened, and Shanon and Hanryeong blocked
their swords.

「Hey, hey. We’ll be sad if you forget about us.」

「I’ve wanted to see the sword techniques of Blood Land’s dukes for a long time.」

「Hm? You haven't seen them, yet? I thought you used to be a battle maniac?」

「They were too difficult to approach… before I became famous!」

Clang! Shanon let out Volcano to push against Duke Tarbing. Every stroke of his
sword created a storm of fire that forced the duke to retreat.
Hanryeong tossed his nine swords in the air and began his sword dance. He had
already recovered his previous power, and after swallowing the souls of several
rankers, his movements were light but full of danger.

“The… Saber God?”

「You recognize me?」

“How is a dead Martial God from Cheonghwado with such riffraff…!”

「Because I was once riffraff myself.」

Hanryeong began to slash at the shocked Duke Tuan Tien. Realizing that he was in
danger of losing, the duke also pulled out his swords and returned the attack. As the
fight between the subordinates began, the battle between their masters grew fiercer.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Durendal is released.]

[Folklore: Cutting in two with one strike of the sword]

Once its true name changed, the heavy sword for killing dragons became lighter and
split the air. Since Black Aura was a condensed form of Wave of Fire, it created a
greater destructive force when it was released, and Yeon-woo used this to his
advantage.

Wave of Fire exploded with each stroke of his blade, alternating with the Eight
Extreme Swords that slashed and pierced the Gluttony Emperor.

“You!” The Gluttony Emperor grew more enraged. After ingesting the flesh and blood
of Kalatus, he now had better control over the challenging Stone of Gula, but even
with that, he was at a disadvantage.

He grew even more furious that even though his skin had easily withstood the Head
Bishop’s fire, it couldn’t avoid getting scorched by the black Aura. The purple energy
quickly healed his injuries, but he couldn’t see a way to escape Yeon-woo’s attacks.

“I bet you’re going crazy because things aren’t going your way, huh?”

The Gluttony Emperor felt shivers down his back as the golden eyes behind the mask
seemed to read his mind. “It’s because you’re using the stone so badly. Using
Draconic Factors to control the stone is a good idea, but your methods are all wrong.”

“You?” The Gluttony Emperor realized that the Soulstone he had kept a secret from
everyone had been discovered.

“That’s not how you use it.” Yeon-woo smirked at the shocked Gluttony Emperor and
brought Vigrid down. The Philosopher’s Stone and Dragon Heart resonated, and
flaming lightning bolts hurtled to the ground, blasting off the Gluttony Emperor’s
arms as he tried to stop them.

“Aaaaack!”

“But you did do something right. The Guai Ruk Nan Shin? Pretty useful. Although the
way you used it was incorrect.” Not caring whether the Gluttony Emperor was
listening, Yeon-woo sent the Nan—chaos—he’d been keeping inside the
Philosopher’s Stone to Boo. Nan was the power that twisted laws and put the truth in
disorder. It was the perfect ability for Boo.

The Elder Lich’s Inferno Sight brightened like will-o’-wisps in the sky. 「Come…
death… 」 At Boo’s command, the shadows darkening the battlefield ground grew
thicker, like a marsh. The fire plundering the land turned black and blazed higher.

The eyes of the Spirit Guai began to radiate a purple light. They bared their teeth and
tore their prey to death. A gigantic hole appeared in the sky and spewed out the
undead from the dungeon. The Gluttony Emperor couldn’t tell whether he was in a
hellfire-filled Netherworld or the fiftieth stage of the Dragon Temple.

Still, it was out of the question for him to request the help of the other Nine Kings.
Boom! The infuriated Kalatus entered the third phase after his imperfections had
been divided, and the other Nine Kings were tied up, apart from being heavily
injured.

“Damn it!” The Gluttony Emperor felt frustrated. His arm had already healed, only to
be cut off again. Equal amounts of purple energy and blood poured out of his body,
and in addition to that, the power he’d given to his subordinates had been stolen and
was being used right in front of him. His mind was on the verge of exploding.
Because of the Dragon’s Curse, his powers were restricted, and there wasn’t anything
he could do.
No, there was one thing: a power he’d kept sealed up after using it once during his
youth because its aftereffects were too destructive. It was the reason he had been
able to eat all of his brothers and relatives to sit on the throne.

“Arghhhh!” He unleashed the Stone of Gula sleeping in his stomach. As though it were
an inflating balloon, the Gluttony Emperor’s body expanded ten times its original
size. “Kraaaaaa!” His body grew to over a meter wide and was as great as a giant’s.
Purple energy gushed out of the tone of Gula and manifested the emperor’s instincts
and desires.

Eat. Eat everything. Eat all those below you and don’t let anyone who looks down on
you live. The Gluttony Emperor never forgot that he was an emperor, and he believed
that everyone ought to kneel in front of him. The situation now seemed little more
than a bunch of lowly creatures trying to rebel against him. He needed to show his
might as emperor and carve the difference between him and the rest onto their
hearts. “I’ll… kill… you…!”

The first person the Gluttony Emperor believed ought to kneel was, of course, Yeon-
woo. With each step, the emperor made the ground shake. The madness that
accompanied the purple energy filled his head with only one thought: kill Yeon-woo.
His eyes reddened.

[Time Difference]

Yeoo-woo faced the emperor and carefully analyzed his movements in a slowed time.
He wanted to see if there were any methods of using the Soulstone that he could
study, like the Guai Ruk Nan Shin. ‘There’s none.’

The emperor was just using the stone as it came to him. He wasn’t even using it
properly. He was just an addict drunk on his own greed. Yeon-woo had only allowed
him to get close in order to study him, but it seemed like there hadn’t been any need
to do so. ‘From the beginning, he wasn’t fit to be one of the Nine Kings, anyway.’
Letting him keep the Soulstone was like casting pearls before swine.

Yeon-woo returned time back to normal and sprang forward. Boom!

The Gluttony Emperor’s fist landed at the spot Yeon-woo had just vacated. Cracks
that were meters wide appeared on the earth, and rocks bounced up.

Yeon-woo activated Blink and appeared behind the Gluttony Emperor’s legs,
swinging Vigrid.

“Aaack!”

Thud! The emperor fell to the ground as his Achilles tendon was cut. Yeon-woo didn’t
have to worry about the purple energy strengthening the emperor’s body. From what
he could see with Draconic Eyes, he could just slash the flow of magic power from
the Stone of Gula and burn the cut to worsen the injury. Blood Flowers bloomed
around the Gluttony Emperor’s ankle.

[Wicked Devil]

[Black Gubitara]

Yeon-woo didn’t miss the opportunity, and he quickly used Vigrid to unleash the
secret skills of the Eight Extreme Swords one by one. He released the Eight Trigrams,
from Qian to Xun, with each swing. He cut off all the Gluttony Emperor’s limbs,
creating a sea of blood around them.

“Aaaack!”

The Blood Flowers greedily absorbed the emperor’s health and magic power,
delivering all the energy to Yeon-woo along with the purple energy of the Stone of
Gula. The Philosopher's Stone didn’t lose a single bit of the energy and took it all in,
improving the quality of the Soulstone.

[The effect of ‘Black Gubitara’ allows you to absorb a part of your opponent’s magic
power.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) has discovered the energy of the Soulstone
(Stone of Gula) and is attempting to absorb it.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) has discovered the energy of the Soulstone
(Stone of Gula) and is attempting to absorb it.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Gula) has rejected the Soulstone (Stone of Superbia). The
Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) is attempting to force a unification.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) has succeeded in absorbing magic power.]

…

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) is becoming a ‘Stone of Sin’. Please absorb more
magic power.]

“Y-you…!” The Gluttony Emperor was shocked that his secret weapon had not only
failed, but had also been taken. He finally realized what Yeon-woo was attempting to
do. He was also a Soulstone owner too—except he could use it more skillfully!
“Aaaaah!”

The Gluttony Emperor shot out magic power and threw punches from the fear of
losing the Stone of Gula, but it was too difficult to match Yeon-woo’s speed. Because
he’d grown so much larger, he’d also slowed down, making himself more vulnerable.
“Move! I said, move!” He became frightened at the possibility of being defeated. He’d
always been the one to create fear in others, and now he was on the receiving end.
“Aaaah…!” He was filled with terror at his impending death.

[Nergal laughs.]

[Izanami laughs.]

[The King of Seven Hells laughs.]

[Aesma-daeva laughs.]

[Halphas laughs.]

[Hel laughs.]

The Gluttony Emperor realized that multiple gods and demons behind Yeon-woo
were looking at him mockingly. Death was already climbing past his chin to drown
him. With Vigrid, Yeon-woo cut off the Gluttony Emperor’s arm and stabbed his
chest.

Yeon-woo didn’t stop there. He pulled out Carshina’s Dagger and the Magic Bayonet
from his waist and stabbed the emperor’s stomach and ripped it open. Through the
gushing blood, he could see squirming organs and Blood Flowers. The Stone of Gula
nestled among them, glowing with a purple light.
The Stone of Gula exuded more magic power, fearing it might be absorbed by the
Stone of Superbia, but the Blood Flowers only absorbed the energy and filled the
Philosopher’s Stone. Yeon-woo sank his left hand inside the emperor’s stomach
without any hesitation. Blacks bumps opened on his palm, and sharp canines
crunched the Stone of Gula.

[Bathory’s Vampiric Sword is absorbing the Soulstone (Stone of Gula).]

[It is an artifact that is beyond the range of the skill. The skill has failed to activate.]

[The skill is being attempted again.]

[It has failed.]

[The skill is being attempted again.]

[It has failed.]

[Through the Dragon Root, the Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) has automatically
connected to the skill.]

[The skill has been attempted again.]

[The attempt has been successful.]

[Energy Drain is starting.]

The Stone of Gula couldn’t resist the greedy Stone of Superbia, which began to chew
it up. The Gluttony Emperor’s body began to split apart as his soul and stone were
taken, twisting at strange angles as Blood Flowers grew on his face. “Save… me…!”
He shouted desperately in fear.

Yeon-woo moved close to his face and smiled coldly. “You said that you’d give me
anything I wanted after we finished searching for the labyrinth, right? Your life
should be sufficient.”

“Just… why?! Why are you doing this to me…?! I… I was good to you…!”

“Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Yeon-woo dug Bathory’s Vampiric Sword deeper as he looked at the Gluttony
Emperor’s face crease like paper, increasing the speed of Energy Drain.

“N-no…!” The Gluttony Emperor’s words vanished into the air.

[‘Bathory’s Vampiric Sword’ has successfully absorbed the Soulstone (Stone of Gula).
Final result: 89.2%]

[Congratulations! ‘Bathory’s Vampiric Sword’ skill proficiency has reached the

maximum level.]

[All stats related to the skill increase.]

[Your health has increased by 30 points.]

[Your magic power has increased by 35 points.]

……

[New skills are being sought in consideration of your stats.]

As he felt the vicious Stone of Superbia and the Stone of Gula avoiding conflict in the
Philosopher’s Stone, he slowly stood and looked around. The players were all frozen
in shock. They had already found it difficult to deal with the Spirit Guai and the
undead, but they never imagined that a king would die.

When the Summer Queen had died, it had been at the hands of another king, the
Martial King. It was a huge event for a rookie to bring down a king. Magnus and the
other kings felt the same. “Who… are you?”

At Magnus’ shaking eyes, Yeon-woo raised his hand to his mask instead of replying.
Clack. Magnus and the other players seemed even more appalled at the face that
Yeon-woo revealed. It was a familiar face that they’d believed was long dead!

“I’m sure you know who I am, right?”

The dead player had shining silver armor and pure white wings, while the Hoarder
had a black coat with black wings. They were total opposites, and the black fire
around Yeon-woo seemed even more ominous and menacing.
At that moment, Yeon-woo took on his brother’s identity and smiled, baring his
teeth. “I’ll take you down to hell, just like you did to me.”

It was a declaration of war; the first time in Jeong-woo’s and Arthia’s names.
Many in the Tower were curious about the face behind the Hoarder’s mask. Some
said he wore a mask to hide a scarred face, others believed that he was hiding his
identity because he was a member of a species that was hard to find in the Tower.
There were various guesses, but most of the Tower believed he covered his face
because he was at odds with some people.

None of the players who entered the Tower had lived normal lives, and so a lot of
people wore hoods or masks to hide their faces like the Hoarder.

Only those who were part of a large clan that placed importance on being a part of a
group revealed their hidden identities, and since most players in the Tower were
individualistic, they didn’t pry into other players’ identities.

However, many were stunned when they saw the Hoarder without his mask. It was a
face that everyone knew—and knew to be dead.

The long silence was broken by a scream.

“H-Heaven Wing!”

“How is Heaven Wing…?”

“H-h-he’s not d-dead?”

“R-r-run…!”

Confusion spread like a disease among the players.

“Run!”

As someone shouted, only one thought filled the panicked players’ heads: they
needed to escape somehow!
“Protect the dictator!”

“We must take the dictator to safety!”

“Escort Master!”

“Stop him!”

Unaffiliated rankers began to run away without looking back, and players of large
clans dashed forward to try to stop Yeon-woo and create a blockade of people to
prevent him from moving forward. Since he was the resurrected Heaven Wing, it was
obvious who his targets were!

Swish. As if responding to their thoughts, Yeon-woo flapped his wings once more and
rushed towards them. Boom! Magic and skills exploded in the sky, aiming for Yeon-
woo.

“Move.” However, he just swung Vigrid in annoyance.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Durendal is released.]

[Folklore: Cutting in two with one strike of the sword]

Yeon-woo sent black Aura into the blade and brandished it around him. The black
Aura exploded, eliminating the magic and skills in the air, as he pushed his way
through the fire and reached the players.

“Aaaaaack!”

“Aaack!”

As Yeon-woo passed, players grabbed their chests or fell to the ground with pale
faces, mouths frothing. The power of death that rose from the wide shadow on the
ground trapped them. Yeon-woo headed for the place nearest to him, where the
Elohim and Magnus were.

“Aaaack!”

“Block…!”
The players protecting Magnus were flung aside by black fire, and the Seven Member
Squad took their positions, raising their swords. Their dictator, Magnus, was
disconnected from his Channels and had used a significant amount of his strength to
fight Kalatus. It was too dangerous for him to fight Yeon-woo in his condition.

Kashing! They had already suffered many losses, including Uros, their leader, but as a
group of high-rankers, they were a powerful force even within the Elohim. Although
Vigrid had spilled the blood of players as though they were pigs and cows at a
slaughterhouse, it was blocked for the first time.

‘I blocked…!’ Graecia was happy for a brief moment as he blocked the sword,
thinking Yeon-woo could now be stopped.

Pewk! Suddenly a blade came from somewhere and cut his head off. The blade began
to attack the others as well. Rebecca had joined the battle. The remaining members
of the Seven Member Squad were caught up dealing with Rebecca as Yeon-woo faced
Magnus. No words were necessary. All Yeon-woo needed to do was kill him.

Flutter. Click! The pieces of the Ruyi Bang whirled out of Yeon-woo’s chest and
formed a shaft that connected to Vigrid.

[Eight Extreme Swords - Secret Skill Connection]

[Heaven Bracket - Lightning Strike]

When the Ruyi Bang and Vigrid moved, thunder boomed and sharp winds with black
lightning cut Magnus’ arms and legs. Magnus pushed his hands forward with Giant’s
Pendulum, creating a tremendous pressure.

Vigrid’s momentum paused, and Magnus shot consecutive gusts of wind, as if he

wasn’t done yet. Yeon-woo used his black Aura to move them aside and activated
Blink to arrive behind Magnus. However, Magnus turned around as though he’d been
expecting it and stretched his palms forward again.

Boom! An unbelievable explosion burst out as they collided with the sword.
Lightning flashed out, and a deep crater formed in the ground.

“Long… time no see, Heaven Wing. Have you been well?” Magnus’ eyelids twitched as
he looked at Yeon-woo. He was still looking to see if the one in front of him was really
the Heaven Wing he knew.
Heaven Wing and Yeon-woo were so different that he doubted they were the same
person. Their attitude, quality, skill, powers… unlike Heaven Wing, who always shone
with justice, nearly everything Yeon-woo had was related to death and darkness.

“Do you think I’ve been well?” Yeon-woo smiled sardonically.

Magnus pushed Vigrid back with the strength of giants and somehow managed to
smile generously. “I heard you’ve been through a lot. But we shouldn’t be fighting like
this. I…”

“Shut up.” Yeon-woo pushed Vigrid and flung Magnus back, as if he had no intention
of listening to what he had to say. It was obvious that he would say it had been a
misunderstanding, and that the Elohim never had any intention of hurting him. It
just ended up that way.

Magnus was skilled at wrapping himself up in the appearance of justice, and his
brother had fallen for it at the beginning. He realized too late that Magnus didn’t
even think of him as human.

Magnus was a moral and honest person. He was so upright that even though he was
the first to have absolute authority within a balanced system of power like Elohim,
he didn’t ask for more and retired when it was time. However, that righteousness
only applied to those with divine blood like him.

In Magnus’ eyes, aside from the Elohim, Draconic species, and One-horned tribe,
everyone else was uncivilized and had to be ruled. He considered Jeong-woo as a
lucky guy who happened to inherit the power of the dragons. He thought Jeong-woo
didn’t know his place, which was why he’d betrayed Jeong-woo and tried to steal his
power. While he’d never fought Jeong-woo directly, it didn’t change the fact that he’d
been behind the betrayal.

‘All that aside, it’s unpardonable that he tried to take Sesha.’ From the moment he
discovered that the Elohim were planning a ridiculous attempt to restore the
Draconic species and tried to lay their hands on Sesha, Yeon-woo planned on getting
rid of them. That included Magnus, who was behind all their schemes.

At the moment, the Channels that protected Magnus were all shut, and it was time to
deal with him while he was vulnerable. Otherwise, he would find a way to return in
the future and get in Yeon-woo’s way.
[The remaining time left to ‘Sky Wings’ is 27 seconds.]

Most likely because he’d overused his powers at the beginning, Yeon-woo didn’t have
as much time as he normally did, and he was using a lot of magic power to maintain
Binah. He had less than thirty seconds left. ‘That’s enough.’ Yeon-woo burned his
powers even more fiercely and pushed Magnus back.

“Kuk!” Magnus was forced to watch his skills and magic being crushed by Yeon-woo’s
overwhelming strength. Giant’s Pendulum and Giant Intent weren’t enough to stop
the power of Demonic Divine Draconic Body.

There was a slight pause after Vigrid reached Magnus’ neck.

[The familiar, Death Noble (Shanon), has successfully eliminated the player
‘Tarbing’.]

[‘Monster’ has been successfully absorbed.]

[The familiar, Death Noble (Hanryeong), has successfully eliminated the player ‘Tuan
Tien’.]

[‘Ghost’ has been successfully absorbed.]

[The Soulstone (Stone of Superbia) and Soulstone (Stone of Gula) have successfully
stolen all functions.]

[Final result: 96.8%.]

[Harmonization is being attempted.]

[Combination is being attempted.]

[A significant amount of time may be required to finish the ‘Stone of Sin’.]

He already had the Ruk, or power, of Guai Ruk Nan Shin through the Gluttony
Emperor. After Duke Tarbing’s and Duke Tuan Tien’s deaths, the remaining Guai Ruk
Nan Shin went to Yeon-woo and were successfully absorbed by the Stone of Superbia
and Stone of Gula.
This was another growth for Yeon-woo that was enough to break the skill that
allowed Magnus to endure against Vigrid. The blade sliced through Magnus’ neck.

Magnus opened and closed his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but
Yeon-woo had already cut through his neck. It was an anticlimactic death for the king
supported by so many of his clan members and known for reconstructing the
Elohim.

“S-Sir Magnus…!”

“Even the dictator is…!”

The forces of the Elohim were dumbfounded when Magnus was defeated.

[The activation time of ‘Sky Wings’ has expired.]

[The next window for activation will occur after 24 hours.]

The huge Sky Wings shrank into Fire Wings, and when the movement of the
thousands of powers stopped, Yeon-woo felt his body stiffen from the aftereffects. He
tried to hide it as much as possible and spoke coldly as he looked at the remaining
Blood Land and Elohim players. “Take care of them all.”

Kikikik. The Spirit Guai and the black shadow expanded over the players, and Yeon-
woo moved again, leaving them behind. There was still a lot of prey left.

***

「Honor to master!」

「Give the king his enemies’ death, our king who sits upon the throne of death!」

On the battlefield of shadows and Spirit Guai, an army of death in black armor had
appeared with their spears raised high. They got into formation and pushed back the
enemies with cheers. It was Dis Pluto, Hades’ subordinates who now answered to
Yeon-woo.

They couldn’t demonstrate their true strength because Yeon-woo hadn’t yet gained
transcendence, but they marched forward, as if to prove the war in Tartarus hadn’t
been won by luck. White Dragon, Black Dragon, and the Devil Army found
themselves in a desperate situation. Blood Land and the Elohim were nearly
decimated, and they were next in line.

Dis Pluto pressured them from the front, and the Fantasy Regiment appeared at their
flanks. Behind them, Demon Beauty Castle didn’t budge and prevented them from
escaping. Most importantly, Kalatus had entered the fourth phase and was in a
frenzy.

Although he couldn’t use much magic and no longer had the dignity of the last
dragon king, Kalatus still had remnants of holy power to heal his body and crush the
players. A swish of his tail blew players away, and when his Breath descended, some
didn’t even leave a corpse behind.

Waltz, Tom, and the Head Bishop were already in a terrible state when they saw
Yeon-woo flying towards them after taking care of Magnus and the rest of Blood
Land.

“At this rate, we can’t avoid total annihilation.” The Head Bishop smiled bitterly as he
watched Yeon-woo. The time he’d spent separated from his Channels was so long
that he was aging once more. He could feel his joints creaking. “What about releasing
it now?” The Head Bishop turned to Waltz.

Waltz pulled back the fist that was punching Kalatus and turned to him. Her
dispassionate gaze met the Head Bishop’s, as if asking what he meant.

“I’ve lived long enough, so if I die, I can just think it was the Heavenly Demon’s will.
But you—you’re still young. You have more days ahead of you than those you’ve
already lived. Are you going to give up your life here?”

Waltz looked at the Head Bishop wordlessly.

“And really, I can’t take my life lightly either because of the believers who are still
alive. I have a proposal.”

Waltz’s mouth opened for the first time. “What is it?”

“Block that troublemaker for a short while.” The Head Bishop nodded at Yeon-woo.
“This geezer has a couple of tricks up his sleeve. I’ll make it so we can leave this
frustrating stage. Give me some time to focus.”
“This place is his territory. We’re trapped in it, so it won’t be easy.”

“Stop acting. Do you think I don’t know you’ve already overcome the curse, and have
a few more tricks up your sleeve? If you had stepped up, the emperor and the
dictator wouldn’t have disappeared like that.”

Waltz didn’t say anything.

“You were probably thinking of weeding out the competition. But this is enough. No
more.”

Waltz retreated. “What do I have to do?”

“Like I said, buy me some time.”

‘Tsk. Sly geezer.’ Waltz clucked her tongue at how easily the Head Bishop read her
thoughts and stepped forward. Just as Yeon-woo had tried to get rid of them during
the confusion, Waltz was waiting to attack Yeon-woo when he was powerless since
he was her mother’s enemy and someone she had to kill. But now, it seemed she
couldn’t wait any longer. “I can’t last that long, either. My broken Nascent Soul Bodies
took a toll on me.”

“Stop exaggerating. I only need a moment.”

Waltz released her fists and stepped forward. Yeon-woo had awakened his Dragon
Body, but she also had something equal—and even greater than his.

“Domain Declaration.”

A blue wind spread around Waltz and began to push back the shadow territory.
Crunch. Waltz’s calm eyes grew frightening, and dragon scales began to grow all over
her torso. Wings shot out of her shoulders, and when her tail thumped on the ground
it was as though an earthquake had shaken the ground.

Waltz’s Dragon Human body was one step above Yeon-woo’s since she was at the
sixth step of the awakening. She could already send her mind to affect the natural
laws—an ability called the Heart Sword by the One-horned tribe—and different
types of magic passed down by the Summer Queen activated over her. Multiple buffs
amplified her aura, and a storm of qi rose from her in a blue wave to meet the black
shadow around Yeon-woo.

The atmosphere grew tense as neither blue wave nor black shadow seemed ready to
back down. Then, a new pressure poured from the sky to bear down on Yeon-woo’s
shoulders.

[An intense pressure is restricting your body. You have been afflicted with ‘Stun’.]

[Your trait, Cold-blooded, has helped you maintain composure.]

[The status 'Stun' has been removed.]

As always, Yeon-woo’s Cold-blooded trait overcame Stun, but when he paused, Waltz
took a step forward and suddenly appeared behind him, aiming for his neck, using
Blink with martial arts. This martial art was familiar to Yeon-woo as well; it was from
the One-horned tribe and called the Seventy-Two Waves Sword.

It was a sword technique, but Waltz was adept enough to use her hand like a blade
covered in Aura. Clang! Calculating the distance between them, Yeon-woo turned
halfway and pulled the Magic Bayonet out instead of Vigrid. He deflected Waltz’s
hand. ‘As strong as expected.’

It was only a single strike, but Yeon-woo had to acknowledge that Waltz was strong,
as expected of the player who had managed to hold her own against the Head Elder
of the One-horned tribe. She lived up to the name of the Summer Queen’s
descendant. ‘I want to get through her somehow, but… ’ Yeon-woo quickly scanned
the players behind her.

Tom was still battling Kalatus, and the Head Bishop was sitting down, muttering a
spell. It was obvious that they were trying to buy some time. He needed to attack the
Head Bishop first in order to ruin their plans, but Waltz stood in front of him like an
insurmountable wall. She had just released her presence and clapped her hands
together, and he couldn’t see a way past at all. All imperfections were cut off around
her, and he’d have trouble dealing with her even if he opened Sky Wings.

A memory of Waltz’s Nascent Body from the battle with Triton’s Benteke flashed
through his mind. He still remembered that she’d managed to chase after him even
though she had been critically injured. If Heidi and the others hadn’t helped him, he
would have been in real trouble. He could feel the same emotions from that moment
return. However, he only raised a corner of his mouth. “I can get even this time.”

“Go ahead, let’s see if you can.” Waltz said impassively to Yeon-woo. “You’ll probably
die first.” There were no limitations to her movement, as though she weren’t bound
by the Dragon’s Curse at all.

Swish. Yeon-woo avoided her hand and slashed her waist with Vigrid. Although Waltz
was at a higher level than he was and he couldn’t activate his Sky Wings, she was also
at a disadvantage because of the injuries she’d sustained from battling Kalatus.

The victor could be anyone. The black Aura surrounding Vigrid’s white blade
exploded.

“I’ve seen this before.” Waltz just scoffed as she watched. “Boring.” It was the first
stage of Wave of Fire, which caused consecutive explosions with Aura, but Waltz just
smirked as if she already predicted how he would attack. She stamped her foot hard.
Boom!

The impact of her foot not only pushed the black Aura away, it also blew Yeon-woo
back. He trailed smoke as he flew off into the distance. Waltz buffed herself more and
quickly closed the distance between then.

“I guess you haven’t improved at all.” The strike she prepared was infused with
Rotating Energy. “You should be careful. Your head will be blown off today.” It was a
powerful strike that was followed by movements that made the ground quiver and
space tear.

Yeon-woo was pushed back by her pure martial arts skills. Clang! His hands moved
faster as they blocked Waltz’s hands. Each attack she made was so dangerous, as
though she were hammering away at him relentlessly, that he found it hard to
counterattack. Also, because her Dragon Body was at a level higher than his, Yeon-
woo was at a disadvantage. However, he still didn’t fall behind.

He compensated for the gap between their physiques with his special trait, Demonic
Draconic Divine Body, and he made up for his insufficient martial arts skills with
magic power.

His Fire Wings grew larger, and black Aura fell on Waltz’s head like lightning. She
raised her hand and the energy around her took the form of a dragon with Bodhi
Jade Dragon Human. As though it were a dragon were twisting to ascend to the sky, it
clashed into his Aura. Boom!

The broken pieces of Aura ripped through the air and floated up on the wind before
turning into floral shapes.

〈Falling Plum Petals〉

As she watched the falling plum petals, Waltz danced the martial art she created
through enlightenment. The red petals floating through the air were a beautiful
sight, but anyone who discovered it was actually a form of condensed Aura would
turn cold. The petals whirled around Waltz, and there was another burst of Thunder
Feet and Rotating Energy. As she released her Hundred Step Fist, the dancing petals
spread out and shot towards Yeon-woo. Boom.

[Time Difference]

In the shower of petals, Yeon-woo’s thoughts sped up and comprehended the attack
of the Hundred Step Fist. ‘Shoulder Well.’ Then, he guessed the locations of the
flowers that surrounded him. ‘Highest Spring, Little Sea, Heart Gate, Leaking Valley…
’ They were all important meridians of the body. It meant Waltz was well-versed in
the internal cultivation system as well.

After quickly deciding how to cut their flow, he raised Vigrid. The particles of black
Aura dispersed through the air. Thousands of sharp winds sliced through the
flowers, and Vigrid slid through the attack of Hundred Step Fist into Waltz’s stomach.

Everything happened quickly, and those watching the fight were so dazzled by the
beautiful sight that they forgot for a moment what the stakes were. However, the
result was a gruesome reminder.

The flowers and winds exploded, sweeping the ground with fire once again. Just as
Vigrid was about to penetrate Waltz’s heart, she quickly turned around, and Vigrid
passed through her armpit. She clamped down on it with her arm. Crunch!

Although Yeon-woo tried to pull Vigrid out, it didn’t budge. That was how powerful
Waltz was. Vigrid began to produce a cracking sound. Waltz’s body was like a
fortress after all the external cultivation that had hardened her body into iron
combined with the dragon scales and defensive magic.

She managed to crush Vigrid into pieces which spread between them, and then,
curving her fingers, she clawed Yeon-woo’s torso

〈Black Tiger Claw〉

The martial art that called to mind a tiger tearing its prey apart with its claws was so
intense, it seemed to split the world. The torn petals gathered again and turned into
five claws, ripping the black coat that had protected Yeon-woo so well. They tore
through his dragon scales and as blood spurted out, the wound revealed his internal
organs.

“I’m going to kill you.” Waltz pushed her Dragon Heart further and struck the last
blow. The petals scattered then condensed at the end of her attack.

Yeon-woo quickly flapped his Fire Wings and tried to activate Blink.

“That’s useless.” Before he could do anything, Waltz’s dispelling magic activated and
he failed to escape. “I told you I’m going to kill you here.”

Boom. Rotating Energy exploded from Waltz’s fist again along with condensed
energy. The Hundred Step Fist was a technique meant for long-range attacks, and so
the closer it was, the greater its power.

A hole the size of a head appeared in Yeon-woo’s chest. However, as though she
weren’t finished, Waltz closed the distance between them and grabbed Yeon-woo’s
neck.

“Oraboni!” Startled, Edora tried to run over, but Waltz was faster.

Yeon-woo’s reflection loomed in her blazing eyes. It was time to resolve her mother’s
grudge. “Die.” Crunch. She tightened her fist and twisted Yeon-woo’s neck. It was an
anticlimactic end for the player who had just killed two kings, the Gluttony Emperor
and Dictator Magnus.

Waltz was overjoyed that she’d finally avenged her mother. It was the moment she
had longed for. For the first time, her furious eyes were full of happiness—at least
until she heard a ticking sound. Tick-tock!

[Precognition]

The quiet ticking of the clock seemed to echo in Waltz’s head. Yeon-woo’s corpse
disappeared from her hands, and everything grew blurry, as though it were a dream.
With her dragon’s mind, she immediately realized what had happened. She had only
seen a possibility that had almost occurred but didn’t. The person who had caused
this illusion appeared at her blind spot with his right wing unfurled.

[Sky Wings - Wing of Fight]

He could only open Sky Wings after a rest period of twenty-four hours because of the
wing of death, but there was no prohibition like that for the wing of fight. It was still
incomplete, and Yeon-woo’s future accomplishments had yet to be recorded by it.
He’d paused his left wing’s recovery and focused on his right one successfully.

With Precognition, he could now see fifteen seconds into the future. He couldn’t
evade everything that he saw, and so his coat and flesh was still ripped open.
However, he had accomplished an incredible feat—he attacked Waltz’s weakness,
her neck.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-??’ Arondight is released.]

[Folklore: Decapitation of dragons]

Blood spurted out as Vigrid split the dragon scales on Waltz’s neck.
‘Didn’t the sword go in deeply enough?’ Yeon-woo clucked his tongue as he sensed
how far the blade had gone. He could see Blood Flowers blooming through the split
dragon scales, but he couldn’t press the blade any farther.

“How… dare you?!” Waltz was furious that she could have been in real danger. Her
eyes reddened. Boom! She released the Hundred Step Fist once more so closely that
Yeon-woo couldn’t block her in time and could only protect his body by wrapping the
wing of fight around himself. He was blown back, his wing crushed.

By the time he regained his balance and was looking for an opportunity to attack,
Waltz had already stretched her head back with her cheeks puffed up.

‘Dragon Breath!’ He realized what Waltz was about to do, and he brandished Vigrid
through the imperfections he saw with his Draconic Divine Eyes.

Swoosh. Waltz spewed her Breath. Since the Summer Queen was a Red Dragon,
which possessed fire and volcanic properties, her Breath contained an intense heat
that turned the entire world a glowing red. As though a volcano had erupted through
the ground, the earth itself turned to lava.

Just then, Vigrid radiated with light. It was Wave of Fire in a condensed Breath form.
Yeon-woo’s Philosopher’s Stone and Dragon Heart shook to raise the destructive
power to a point it had never reached before.

Rumble. When the two Breaths collided at full power, the ground itself sank from the
extreme heat. The two fires swirled up to the sky like a tornado, and when it
disappeared, it left behind scorched earth and a river of lava. Steam floated up,
making it hard to see.

However, Yeon-woo and Waltz were both instinctively aware that the attack hadn’t
been enough to defeat each other. They prepared new Breaths for another clash.

Just then, Tom appeared behind Waltz. 『Eldest sister, it’s dangerous to look away
from the battle at this time!』

Waltz had thought that Tom was busy with Kalatus, so she was caught off guard.
Crunch. Her face twisted as he ripped her left wing off. “How dare you?!”

『With Mother and all our other siblings gone, we should try to get along, don’t you
think?』 Tom laughed, swallowing a piece of Waltz’s wing. 『In my stomach.』

“Are you doing this even though you know what’s going on…?”

“Domain Declaration.”

[A new property is being added to the already designated ‘Binah.’]

[Territory of the Underworld has been established.]

[All holy properties related to the Throne of Death have been awakened.]

[From this point, the owner of the Throne of Death has the authorization to adjust all
power settings.]

[Due to lack of divinity, powers, authorizations, and settings are weakened or

unavailable.]

Waltz stopped growling at Tom and turned to Yeon-woo as the messages filled her
vision. The greedy Tom’s eyes widened as well.

‘I was going to save this as my last card, but… ’ Without giving them a chance to
defend themselves, he began a new attack using Breath.

[A power bound to the Throne of Death, ‘Hell Tribulation’, is being activated.]

If Wave of Fire was insufficient, he had an alternative that was even more powerful:
Hell Tribulation. It was a fire that came directly from the Underworld, one that
punished sinners and cleansed their souls. Because of the laws of nature, it was
normally impossible to use it, but since Yeon-woo had declared his territory, he
could now wield it. The fire burst through the ground towards Waltz and Tom.

“Hup!”
『What is this…!』

Waltz wrapped her remaining wing around her body and used Blink and Teleport to
get as far away from Yeon-woo as possible. Tom did the same, transforming into
human form and escaping.

“How does a player have both holy territory and holiness…?”

It was only natural for them to be shocked since they didn’t know what Yeon-woo
had gone through in Tartarus. Holiness was one of the five conditions of
transcendence. It was somewhat possible only after exuviation, and even the
Summer Queen had only just managed to attain it in her final years. And yet this
player, whom they hadn’t even taken seriously, had possession of it!

Holy territory was also a divine ability to create the setting to properly manifest
holiness. Ordinary territories couldn’t even compare to it!

Rumble! As Waltz and Tom scrambled to escape, they could feel their dragon scales
melting. They squeezed out their magic power in case Yeon-woo attacked again.
Waltz defended herself using a martial art that combined multiple barriers, the
Mahayana Heaven Earth Divine Art. Tom used a unique artifact he’d received from
the Summer Queen, called Ancient Dragon’s Stare.

They had no choice but to use their hidden aces since they didn’t know how Yeon-
woo would be attacking. However, Yeon-woo wasn’t targeting them. Instead, he was
focused on the Head Bishop, who was doing something behind Waltz. She’d clearly
been trying to prevent him from reaching the Head Bishop. Whoosh.

[Draconic Divine Eyes]

[Fiery Golden Eyes]

[Black Gubitara - Philosopher’s Eyes]

[Hell Tribulation]

[Heaven Bracket - Flame Wheel]

Yeon-woo was soon holding the Ruyi Bang connected to Vigrid. He opened all of his
eyes to set his target and gathered Hell Tribulation through the laws of Flame Wheel
and sent it into Vigrid’s blade.

[Guai Ruk Nan Shin - Courage]

[Dragon Killer]

He activated the courage of the Ruk of Guai Ruk Nan Shin on the Ruyi Bang and
added the Dragon Killer.

[The hidden name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Gae Bulg is released.]

[Folklore: Hitting the mark with a single shot]

Gae Bulg’s folklore was never to miss a moving target, and so Vigrid and the Ruyi
Bang pierced through the air like a shooting star, twisting jet streams in its wake.
Yeon-woo was going to get rid of the Head Bishop, no matter what. Although he’d
been distracted by Waltz and Tom, he was aware that the Head Bishop was staying
back in order to prepare something significant. ‘I have to get rid of him.’

He didn’t know what the Head Bishop was planning, but he knew he had to stop him.
The Head Bishop had appeared through Doyle on the twentieth floor at the Five
Mountains of Penances, and his strength made it evident why he was considered one
of the Nine Kings alongside the Martial King and the Summer Queen.

Now that all his powers were gone because of the muted Channels, Yeon-woo needed
to take the opportunity to eliminate him. His instincts told him to prevent the Head
Bishop from completing whatever he was doing. However, Waltz and Tom realized
whom Yeon-woo was targeting, and sent their attacks to Vigrid, which lost some of
its momentum and power.

“Fortunately, I’m finally finished.” The Head Bishop smiled and shook the bell in his
hand. Ding. As the clear sound rang out from the small bell made from Ruyi Bang
pieces, the Head Bishop disappeared into the fog.

Vigrid and the Ruyi Bang landed on an empty spot, releasing Hell Tribulation and
bolts of lightning. Mountains shattered, but the Head Bishop was nowhere to be
seen. Instead, the fog multiplied and soared up to the sky, which became covered in
white clouds that blocked its red color.

Beyond the clouds, a great shadow was slowly approaching.

 ***

‘O Bull Demon King, please respond to my call.’ The Head Bishop risked the
disappearance of his soul and turned the remainder of his magic power into soul
power to become the fog. He had wanted to use holy power, not soul power, but after
being abandoned by the Heavenly Demon, he could no longer do so. Still, if he hadn’t
learned the Seventy-Two Bian properly, this would be impossible.

It was a measure of his desperation to help the surviving followers of the Devil Army
escape. What sins had they committed to be buried here? He left behind the cruel
god that had abandoned them and found others: the Seven Demon Kings, also known
as the Seven Sages.

They had formed a brotherhood with the Heavenly Demon’s other aspect, the Great
Sage, Sun Wukong. These beings were so powerful that even the Great Sage had been
their junior.

They had even demonstrated their might by fighting the forces of the Chan Sect and
the Jie Sect to a standstill. The Head Bishop had contacted the oldest of the Seven
Demon Kings, the Bull Demon King.

When his plan to become an aspect of the Heavenly Demon was thwarted a year ago,
the Bull Demon King had responded to his plea. The Head Bishop was grateful to
him. The Bull Demon King had taken better care of them than the god they served.
He was warm, like a father.

『Is that truly enough?』 The Bull Demon King replied to his desperate plea once
more. His voice was staticky because of the Dragon’s Curse, but he still managed to
communicate with the Head Bishop easily. It was clear that he was more powerful
than the Chan Sect’s Jade Emperor and the Jie Sect’s Tongtian Jiaozhu.

‘Please grant my request.’

『You’ll be taking a path of no return.』

‘That’s what I wish.’

『Is that… how great your resentment against the youngest is?』
The Head Bishop didn’t reply.

『If you still wish it, then I shall grant your request, you pitiful child.』 The
rueful voice began to fade. 『I’ll send something through one of my younger
brothers. However, this holy contract is unbreakable. As soon as your business
is finished, you have to come to pandemonium.』

‘I will be on my way soon.’

『I shall be waiting.』 The voice vanished, and the Head Bishop felt a large
presence forcing its way through his soul as a god crammed himself into a vessel.
When the manifestation was complete, a powerful whirlwind lashed out and put out
all the fires that spread over the stage. It was such a strong wind that everyone
watching was shocked.

Waltz and Tom could barely stand as they looked at the storm in surprise. A pressure
whirled around them with an extraordinary amount of holy power that only those
who exuviated and gained transcendence could emanate.

At the same time, intense demonic energy spread out. Was there any other being
who had both holy power and demonic energy in the Tower aside from the Heavenly
Demon? Indeed, there were, but they were unknown because they had never chosen
Apostles. However, those who were in the know were also aware of their terrible
strength and their indifference to the lower world.

Soon, the face of a man with a lion’s mane overlapped with the face of the Head
Bishop. “Hu! Ha! Hu! Ha! Hahaha! I descended on my brother’s orders, but this feels
quite refreshing! The air below is definitely better than the stifling air above. There
isn’t a bastard like Allforone getting in the way, either. This is great.” The man with
the lion’s mane smiled devilishly as he looked at the large fan in his hand. “The Palm
Leaf Fan is pretty nice, too.” Then, he clenched his fist. “But a man shouldn’t be so
reliant on items like this.”

Swish. The Palm Leaf Fan disappeared into its original form, which was wind. The
man with the lion’s mane had only brought it on his eldest brother’s orders. He didn’t
like to use artifacts or treasures like this. Weapons weren’t a part of your body. A
man should fight with his fists.

The man with the lion’s mane scanned the crowd to find his prey. His eyes focused on
Yeon-woo, and with a grin, he stamped his foot. Thump!

“So, it’s you. The child that was spoken about.”

Yeon-woo’s face stiffened when the man with the lion’s mane looked at him. He
wasn’t sure who he was, but he knew one thing instinctively. ‘At the very least… he’s
at the same level as Hades or Typhon. Who is he?’ The pressure he released was
equal to the three higher beings of the Olympians. He was probably as powerful as
the king of Titans and Giants, Typhon. Although there were limits to his power
because of the constraints of manifestation, it was enough to make Yeon-woo shiver.

“But…” Just then, the man with the lion’s mane asked, “What’s this? Who are you to
have our youngest?”
“Youngest?” Yeon-woo frowned, not understanding the man with the lion’s mane
before remembering what the diary said.

The Great Sage is another aspect of the Heavenly Demon, and he’s quite a popular
being. Luciel caused trouble in the heavenly world, Allforone in the lower world, but the
Great Sage is the only one who has caused a ruckus in both.

I heard he has six sworn brothers who are his seniors, but they don’t get involved in the
Tower’s affairs like the Great Sage does, so no one knows anything about them.

When the Great Sage was the Monkey King, stories described how beings traveled
from the heavenly world to help him. What if one of the Seven Demon Kings had
appeared? The appearance of the man with the lion’s mane called to mind a name.

“Hm? You don’t know me? I suppose we have been living quietly for some time.
Hahaha!”

Boom! The man with the lion’s mane thumped his fists together and roared in
laughter, making the ground shake. “My name is Hyul.” He curled his lip and growled
fiercely. “When I was still alive, I was called the Lion King, and after dealing with the
scumbags of Chan Sect and the bastards of Jie Sect, the gods called me the Mountain
Moving Sage.”

Yeon-woo stiffened. Waltz and Tom, who had been watching Yeon-woo and the man
with the lion’s mane at a safe distance away, were also shocked.

The Devil Army was a clan that served the Heavenly Demon. The trait that the
Heavenly Demon gave them already made them hard to deal with. If they also served
other Demon Kings, that made them truly formidable competition.

However, the Lion King, who descended into the Head Bishop’s body, didn’t seem to
care about the politics of the lower world and asked Yeon-woo, “I’ll ask again. Who
are you to have our youngest? Well, looks like it’s only a part of him. But still, I don’t
like it.”

He was talking about the exuviae of the Monkey King that Yeon-woo had absorbed at
the Five Mountains of Penances. Yeon-woo pondered whether he should explain.

“Whatever, it doesn’t matter.” The Lion King spoke before Yeon-woo could answer
and grinned, baring his teeth. “I’m not actually curious about that stuff. I’m just
trying to find a good reason for your death. Hahaha!”

Yeon-woo gritted his teeth at the spirit and pressure the Lion King emanated. The
wing of fight wouldn’t be enough to deal with someone like him.

[The King of Seven Hells glowers at the Lion King.]

[Nergal bares his teeth.]

[Ksitigarbha smiles ferociously.]

[Osiris is with you.]

[Hel is with you.]

[All gods of death support your will.]

[All demons of death prepare to descend.]

“Looks like a lot of fun things are following you. Hehehe. Seems like it was worth it to
beg my eldest brother to send me.” The Lion King smiled even more widely as he
looked at the gods and demons of death observing them. It seemed like he wanted
Yeon-woo to summon them.

The Lion King was famous for being the most violent of the seven brothers, and he
was known to enjoy fights. It had been a while since he’d descended into the lower
world, and it appeared that he wanted to cause some trouble before returning.

Yeon-woo gritted his teeth and prepared for manifestation. With the holiness of the
Throne of Death, he judged he wouldn’t suffer as badly from the penalty as before.
The Lion King began running towards Yeon-woo, only to pause.
“Hm? Fuck. All right. OK! I’ll do it, I will! Geez, your nagging!” He grumbled, and
glared at Yeon-woo. “You bastard. You got lucky.”

Yeon-woo realized that the Lion King was communicating with someone, and that he
was trying to leave with the Head Bishop. ‘I have to stop him!’ Kalatus’ territory on
the fiftieth floor might be destroyed.

“Come.”

[You have requested assistance from the gods and demons of death with the
authority of the Throne of Death.]

[The King of Seven Hells accepts your summons.]

[Nergal accepts your summons.]

[All gods of death have accepted your request.]

[All demons of death have accepted your request.]

[The Throne of Death has temporarily released all holiness.]

Whoosh. Yeon-woo’s holiness wasn’t complete, and so he lacked the level to release
all the powers of the Throne of Death. However, he tried to get around this by using
another method. He could have the 666 gods and demons who were followers of the
Black King share in the manifestation, which meant he could release all of the
holiness for a little while.

[A power bound to the Throne of Death, ‘Hell Tribulation’, is being activated.]

Yeon-woo spewed Hell Tribulation through Breath to stop the Lion King.

“Don’t bother me, human.” The Lion King, who was already in a bad mood because of
the restraints on his freedom, released his pressure and shouted a spell. “Blow, Palm
Leaf!”

The Palm Leaf Fan created a whirling wall of wind in front of the Lion King before
Hell Tribulation could reach him. In the meantime, the Lion King clasped his hands
together.

Ding! The sound of a large bell rang throughout the stage. The dark sky split, and a
column of light descended on the Lion King. The light spread to the Devil Army
followers close by and shielded them within a barrier of light.

[The Dragon’s Curse is being released by an unknown external force.]

[Kalatus’ territory ‘Binah’ has been released.]

[Paths to the outside have reconnected.]

[The portals are opening.]

Yeon-woo realized the light coming from the sky was the power of the Seven Demon
Kings. Within the stage was the power of the Lion King and outside was the power of
the other Demon Kings. Kalatus’ territory couldn’t withstand them and had been
crushed. This was clearly what the Head Bishop had been aiming for.

Yeon-woo tried to use Hell Tribulation again to grab him somehow, but the winds of
the Palm Leaf Fan blocked him. Now that the situation had changed, Waltz and Tom
went into action. They needed to take advantage of the opportunity the Head Bishop
had given them to escape.

Yeon-woo blasted Hell Tribulation all around him. He’d never expected to kill all of
the Nine Kings who had shown up, anyway. He had believed that they’d find a way to
escape or hide during the seventy-two hours, but he’d never expected that they
would resort to such desperate measures. ‘Just one more!’

Whoosh! As Hell Tribulation spread throughout his Underworld territory, Shanon

and Hanryeong chased after Waltz and Tom. “Catch them with any means
necessary!”

「Leave it to me.」

「Yes, sir!」

Shadows followed Waltz and Tom. Dis Pluto changed formation and raised their
spears higher than ever. Demon Beauty Castle and the Fantasy Regiment moved as
well. Even if the Seven Demon Kings released Kalatus’ territory, it would take some
time for it to entirely disappear.

[Percentage of released territory: 16%, 7 %… 21%]

While he still had the chance, he had to eliminate as many enemies as he could.

『Oraboni, just focus on catching the Head Bishop!』

At Edora’s Open Speaking, he decided to change his plans. He watched the Lion King
disappearing into the light. If he couldn’t destroy them directly, he’d have to use
another way. The moment he was waiting for was about to arrive.

[The Stone of Sin (Superbia.Gula) has been completed.]

[Your stats are being calculated to open a new superior skill.]

[The skill ‘Bathory’s Blood and Tears’ has been created.]

[‘Bathory’s Blood and Tears’ is reacting with the Soulstone (Stone of Gula) and has
discovered another option.]

[The holiness of the Throne of Death has been applied to add the option.]

[New skills are being sought in consideration of your stats.]

[The skill ‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword’ has been opened.]

[Hades Spirit Eating Sword]

[Rank: Power]

[Description: A new skill created from ‘Bathory’s Vampiric Sword’ after the
application of the Stone of Gula and the holiness of the Throne of Death. Not only
does it absorb vitality, but it also squeezes the foundations of the soul and consumes
your opponent’s entire existence.]

[*Emblem of Gluttony
If you cause a critical injury to your opponent, an emblem will appear to poison
them and cause excess bleeding. Each second of continued Energy Drain will result
in additional injuries to your opponent. Their movements will slow significantly, and
they will feel pain.]

[*Hades’ Power

The vitality of your opponent will be pulled out by the roots. You may steal some of
their stats and skills. The energy taken from their soul will be given to the
Underworld territory to increase the power of the curse.]

[**This is a unique skill. No other skill like this exists in the Tower. If it is successfully
passed on to another player, it will lose its uniqueness. Instead, additional options
will be provided.

**This skill is bound to the Throne of Death. The greater the holiness, the greater the
power, and it can be connected to other powers.]

The appearance of the bumps on Yeon-woo’s left hand didn’t seem that much
different, but Yeon-woo could feel the change. The sharp teeth within the black
bumps were uncontrollable and savage now. The gluttony of the Sin of Stone was
using Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword to express its anger.]

Clack, clack. “Devour.” Previously, he had to touch something in order to absorb it, but
now he only needed to raise his hand. The vicious teeth revealed themselves, and the
deep abyss within began to suck everything in, including the Hell Tribulation and
winds of the Palm Leaf Fan.

He was trying to use Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword to take the winds whole—if it was
possible, he wanted to steal the Palm Leaf Fan. He definitely wanted a treasure that
could block Hell Tribulation. Because of this, a hole was torn in the tornado
protecting the Lion King and the Devil Army.

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Durendal is released.]

[Folklore: Cutting in two with one strike of the sword]

When he slashed Vigrid, the barrier exploded, and Hell Tribulation flooded into the
barrier of light like water, sweeping away thirty percent of the Devil Army. The Lion
King, who was already halfway through the light, stepped up and repelled Hell
Tribulation away with his pressure.

『You took the Palm Leaf Fan? You damned bastard…!』

While the Lion King and gods and demons of death fought closely, most of the Devil
Army followers managed to disappear behind the curtain of light. The Lion King
stepped when they were all gone. 『When we meet again… 』

His face was twisted. He had suffered an immense amount of damage from blocking
Hell Tribulation, including the loss of his left arm. 『You’ll die by my hand.』

At those words, the light disappeared with the Lion King and the Devil Army.

[Percentage of released territory: 105%]

[All of Kalatus’ territory has been released.]

After that message, White Dragon, Black Dragon, the Lion Alliance, and all other
rankers and players attempted to escape from the hellish stage to spread word that
the Heaven Wing had returned, sword sharp with revenge. They ran to let the Tower
know that the sword was now pointed at their necks.

***

Thud!

Kalatus fell in exhaustion to the ground after losing all his territory.

[You have succeeded in clearing the boss monster, ‘Demonic Dragon of Chaos
Kalatus’.]

[You have successfully completed the sudden quest (Kill the Dragon).]

[You have made an achievement that is not easily accomplished. Additional karma
will be provided.]

[You have acquired 300,000 karma.]

[You have acquired 500,000 additional karma.]

[You have been rewarded…]

[All trials have been completed.]

[You have set a great record. Will you register your name in the Hall of Fame?]

[You have refused to register your name.]

[Your record has been deeply engraved in the Tower. You can register your name
whenever you wish.]

[Would you like to move to the 51st floor?]

Putting the messages and Kalatus’ body, which was already beginning to rot, behind
him, Yeon-woo looked at Tom’s decapitated head with dry eyes. Tom’s face was
twisted, as though he’d struggled until the end. With this, Waltz was the only one of
the Summer Queen’s nine children still alive.

Next to Tom’s head was the man who chased after Tom and killed him with Shanon
and Hanryeong’s help. It was a face familiar to Yeon-woo.

He smiled faintly and extended a bloodied hand. “Long time no see, Jeong-woo."

“Leonhardt. You’re the leader of the Fantasy Regiment?”

I hadn’t been climbing the Tower very long when I met Leonhardt. The Tower was still
unfamiliar and full of people tense with nervousness, but I saw him crouching in a
corner watching ants march by. He couldn’t have made a stranger first impression.

He was Arthia’s tactician and greatest swordsman, which had gotten him the
nickname “Sword Strategist”. Many said that it was thanks to him that Arthia had
grown at such a fast pace. Jeong-woo agreed with them.

His brother’s reputation as Heaven Wing had begun to spread by then, but gaining
fame as a ranker and leading a clan were two different things. Jeong-woo had only
been able to march forward without looking back thanks to Leonhardt’s
management of the clan’s internal affairs. On his part, Leonhardt was grateful that
Jeong-woo trusted him and did his best in any task he was assigned to do.

However, the relationship between Jeong-woo and Leonhardt began to grow strained
when Arthia became unstable. By the end, when Jeong-woo had become
oversensitive to everything, Leonhardt gave up trying to appease him and left. That
was when Arthia’s descent into destruction truly began. Without one of the main
pillars of the clan, the clan could no longer pull itself together. This was why Yeon-
woo had complicated feelings about Leonhardt.

Urrng, urrng, urrng! He could feel the pocket watch that contained his brother’s
vestige trembling, which probably meant that he felt the same. Unlike Bahal and
Leonte, who had betrayed Jeong-woo, Leonhardt had just left because he was
exhausted from dealing with him. It was a stretch to call it a betrayal and begrudge
him for leaving.

Leonhardt had done his best to support Arthia even up to the moment he left.
Afterwards, he didn’t do anything to harm Arthia. ‘But he also didn’t stay by Jeong-
woo’s side when he was alone.’ Yeon-woo didn’t bear any grudges, but that didn’t
mean his feelings of resentment had disappeared either. He couldn’t say it was a
pleasure to see Leonhardt.
“You’ve grown cold.” Leonhardt held out his hand, then took it back with a rueful
smile when Yeon-woo didn’t grab it. “I missed you a lot.”

Yeon-woo said in an indifferent voice, “I thought you joined the Sea of Time?”

“I did. But I got out not too long after joining.” He added in a quiet voice, “Right after I
learned that you’d died.”

Yeon-woo didn’t speak.

“That place wasn’t my home… Everything was going wrong. Traitor roamed free,
trying to show that they were better than anyone else, large clans were hostile
towards each other, and those who praised your name quickly forgot about you.” His
face began to fill with rage. “I wanted to fix these things. I went undercover and
gathered comrades one by one. Thanks to that… I realized too late how much you
suffered.”

Yeon-woo was still quiet.

“Then, the Hoarder appeared.” The heat returned to Leonhardt’s eyes. “I looked for
you, thinking you were a super rookie… but when I saw you from far away, I knew:
you had returned.”

“Even though I wear a mask?”

“There’s no way I wouldn’t be able to recognize you. I could tell from your physique
and eyes… although they’re sharper than before… but that’s to be expected.”

Yeon-woo was silent.

“I still remember that moment. I contemplated whether or not I should go to you,

but… I didn’t have the right, and I felt like I understood why you were hiding your
identity.” Leonhardt sighed while explaining. Then, he slowly said his next words, “I
waited for you to climb higher so that once you made your presence known, I would
have forces ready to support you.”

Yeon-woo was wordless for a moment. He scanned Creutz, and the other clan
members of the Fantasy Regiment behind Leonhardt. They seemed exhausted but
still exuded fierce auras. The Fantasy Regiment was a sword-that Leonhardt had
sharpened to help him with his revenge. He’d been filled with joy thinking that
Jeong-woo had returned, and he’d made his sword even tougher and keen-edged.

‘What do you think?’ After Leonhardt began his explanation, the pocket watch
stopped trembling. It was clear that Jeong-woo’s feelings were muddled. Yeon-woo
looked at Leonhardt’s blazing eyes, which flickered with joy and sorrow. He was
someone that Yeon-woo resented but couldn’t hate. Leonhardt had left his brother’s
side but continued to uphold his memory.

“But how did you recover? How did you heal from Bayluk’s poison? Can you… tell me
what happened?” The Draconic Divine Eyes told Yeon-woo that Leonhardt was
sincere. However, Yeon-woo felt a sudden urge to shatter both his misconception and
hope. In the end, Leonhardt hadn’t stayed by his brother’s side. Jeong-woo had never
wanted understanding or revenge; he just wanted someone to be with him.

“I heard Jeong-woo never talked about his family or Earth in the Tower.” Yeon-woo’s
tone was stiff.

“What are you…?” Leonhardt cocked his head to the side when he heard Yeon-woo
talking about Jeong-woo in the third person. Then, he realized its significance.
“You…”

“Jeong-woo is dead.”

Leonhardt’s eyes widened.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding, so let me introduce myself properly.” He

looked into Leonhardt’s trembling eyes. “My name is Cha Yeon-woo.” His voice was
cold as could be. “Jeong-woo’s twin brother.”

***

News of the unbelievable events on the fiftieth floor spread like fire throughout the
Tower. The one rumor that caused the most commotion was: “The dead Heaven
Wing has returned!”

Many players had once looked up to Heaven Wing and seen him as a savior who
could withstand the tyranny of the Eight Clans and high ranker. However, even
though he’d failed to defeat them in the end and gotten his wings clipped, he’d
managed to find a way to return. When people learned that he was the super rookie
called the Hoarder, they were all speechless from shock.
Smart players predicted dark clouds on the horizon and trembled, knowing that a
colossal war would soon take place. As if in support of their theories, a second set of
rumors spread through the Tower. The Gluttony Emperor, Roman Dictator Magnus,
and Autumn Lord Tom were dead. In the past, despite being the sixth-ranked player,
Heaven Wing had never killed any kings on his own, but the deaths of three of the
Nine Kings at his hands were proof that he had been resurrected.

When people learned that the Spring Queen Waltz had lost a wing and the Head
Bishop an arm despite their escape, no one could find the words to speak. A few
grew terrified. In the past, Heaven Wing had been as radiant as the sun, but the
current Heaven Wing was as intense as the moon. His sword had grown
unpredictable.

Finally, the last wave of news about the destruction of the Dragon Temple was also
unbelievable, but the shock over Heaven Wing was so great that it rendered the
Tower silent for a while. Then, players began to predict where Heaven Wing’s blade
would point next.

***

“So, that’s what happened.” After Yeon-woo and his companions left, Leonhardt
stood unmoving with his eyes closed. Yeon-woo had left him with no doubt that Cha
Jeong-woo was gone, and the hopes that had been supporting him all this time had
been crushed. However, a small part of him was unsurprised. How could a logical
person believe in resurrection?

Considering the circumstances back then, it was inevitable that Jeong-woo would
die. The Hoarder had climbed the Tower with new records. The rules of the Tower
stated that you could return to the stages you’d climbed before, but you couldn’t
change what was recorded.

It was impossible for the Hoarder to be Jeong-woo, but Leonhardt had still hoped it
was true. He thought that it was possible for a miracle to happen. After all, the Tower
was filled with mysteries and marvels, perhaps resurrection was one of them.

It was the reason he’d gone into secluded training and why he’d hidden himself after
discovering that Creutz had met the Hoarder. He was afraid that his hopes would be
crushed. And now, they really were.
Yeon-woo, who said he was Jeong-woo’s twin brother, left after saying, “I can’t say
that I’m thankful to you. Even if Jeong-woo was wrong, you left his side when he
needed you. You can’t take back spilled water.”

Leonhardt covered his face with his hands, his thoughts whirling in his head. He had
no idea what he was supposed to do now.

“Where will you go now?” The captains read Leonhardt’s mood and spoke carefully.
They’d tried to offer Yeon-woo their assistance only to be rejected.

Leonhardt seemed regretful. “I don’t know. Where should I go?”

“Sir…”

“I don’t know the path either.” It would be nice if someone could tell him. This was
why it was hard to lead others. It was much easier when all he’d had to do was focus
on managing internal affairs.

“Don’t try to help me. I might end up attacking you.”

Even if he wanted to follow Yeon-woo, he didn’t dare try. Yeon-woo’s face looked
exactly like Jeong-woo’s but oozed a coldness that Jeong-woo never had.

‘Nothing can be done.’ Leonhardt rubbed his face, sighing. He had only hesitated for a
while. Now that he was outside and the wheels had begun to turn, he had no choice.
‘I have to see it to the end.’

Blood Land would fall into confusion now that the Gluttony Emperor, the four dukes,
and many of their members were gone. Half of the Lion Alliance had been killed, and
they were significantly weakened. Even with Magnus and the Seven Member Squad
gone, the Elohim could avoid breaking apart since they had a solid system in place,
but they would lose their status.

The Fantasy Regiment needed to take advantage and grow into a large clan. Even if
Yeon-woo rejected them, it didn’t mean the sword in Leonhardt’s heart dulled. He
was about to move with his subordinates when he saw Creutz hanging back.

“Captain. I apologize, but… my journey with you stops here.”

“Vice Leader! What are you talking about?!”

“What do you mean, sir?!”

The members of the First Squad and the other captains turned to Creutz in surprise.
The Illusion Knightage following him was shocked as well, but they stepped back and
kept their silence.

Leonhardt looked at Creutz closely. Although he was apologetic, he stood in his shiny
silver armor firmly without regret. Leonhardt couldn’t help smiling. “After a year at
his side, it looks like you’ve fallen for him.”

“I apologize.”

“No. Although we only conversed for a short while, I felt his charisma, too.” If Yeon-
woo had invited him to work together, he would have jumped at the chance. Yeon-
woo’s charisma and ability to attract allies was possibly even greater than his little
brother’s. “Still, it’s a shame to lose you after all the time we spent together.”
Leonhardt smiled again and held his hand out to Creutz. “The position of Vice Leader
will always be open. Come back anytime.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Creutz grabbed Leonhardt’s hand and bowed.

“Do you know where to go?”

“Yes, sir.” Creutz thought of what Brahm had told him before Yeon-woo left: “Come to
the floating Laputa. You’ll find it easily. Arthia’s old clan house is there.

“That’s a relief. I wish you success.”

“I hope what you wish for comes true as well. Let’s go.” At Creutz’s command, the
Illusion Knightage summoned their wyverns and mounted them. Slowly, they
disappeared in the same direction that Yeon-woo had gone.

Leonhardt watched his friend leave and turned in the opposite direction. “Let’s
return as well. But there’s no hurry.” Leonhardt’s eyes darkened. “It’s going to be a
long night.”
A messenger arrived in a panic at Castle Blood in the capital of Blood Land to tell the
prince to escape.

“Your Highness, at this rate…!”

“Block them. Do it!”

“B-but…! It’s too dangerous. You should hide…!”

“Block them! Do you not hear my command?”

“Y-yes, Your Highness!”

The hall was always a solemn place where the four dukes and the thirty-six
marquises met, but it was now in chaos. Urgent messages and communication magic
poured down while the counts sent out orders.

Prince Domo leaned on the throne with his teeth clenched, watching the viscounts
and barons preparing to protect the capital. He pressed his temples. ‘Where did
things go wrong?’ After the great events of the fiftieth floor, which was called the
Festival of Blood by rumormongers, Prince Domo barely managed to escape to Castle
Blood, helped by the sacrifices of the marquises.

However, he was only delaying the inevitable. The casualties were great: his father
the Gluttony Emperor, the four dukes who were the pillars of Blood Land, and half of
the marquis-level players who managed Blood Land.

Overnight, he was the only one who was left to maintain order in Blood Land and
deal with the immediate attacks of their enemies. ‘The Hoarder… this is all because
of him…!’

He couldn’t forget the moment his role model turned into his enemy. When the
Dragon Labyrinth opened and the players were split up, his subordinates had said
the Hoarder had betrayed them. However, the prince defended him, saying there
must have been some misunderstanding. If only he could turn back time, he would
rip his past self’s mouth off for saying such nonsense.

Thud. Castle Blood quaked, and his subordinates stopped bustling around to look at
the ceiling with frightened faces. The bombardment was nearing the main castle.

Rumble. When Castle Blood shook again, Marquis Narbinger burst through the door
to deliver news that the enemies had arrived. “Your Highness! They’ve entered the
main castle. You must hide—urk!” He pitched over, vomiting blood as a hole
appeared in his chest. His blood poured out onto the floor as an army of death
surrounded by dark shadows surged inside.

The royal bodyguards tried their best to stop them only to be impaled on the black
spears.

“Where do you think you… urgh!”

“Aaack!”

“W-we have to stop them… ugh!”

The hall was in pandemonium as the counts and marquises that rushed forward
collapsed, spurting blood. The heads of knights and soldiers rolled on the floor.
Castle Blood, which had never been invaded ever since Blood Land was established,
was falling to the enemy. Prince Domo wanted to die as he was forced to watch every
second of the humiliation.

Dis Pluto, the army of death, killed all those who resisted and sucked them into the
Soul Collection. Those who surrendered were forced to kneel.

Clack, clack. Then, an armored figure of shadows slowly padded down the hall,
emanating a pressure that Prince Domo had only ever felt from those beyond the
level of marquis. The pressure whirled around like a storm and filled the hall.
Although the aura seemed to force down his shoulders, the prince gritted his teeth
and endured it. His last act of pride and resistance was to stay on the throne.

「Hey! So this is the famous Blood Hand’s palace, eh?」 Despite his ferocious
presence, the shadow knight had a mischievous voice, and he whistled softly as he
looked around the grand interior. 「I wonder how much these will sell for. Our old
man’s been grumbling that there’s no money these days but looks like this will ease
his troubles.」 Then, his eyes fixed on Prince Domo. 「And I see some nice artifacts.
」 His Inferno Sight twinkled, but Prince Domo felt himself freeze at it.

「Hey, kiddo.」 The soft voice of the knight of death sounded like the howling of a
beast to Prince Domo, who was filling up with resentment. The knight was treating
him the way noblemen treated ordinary citizens, just as how Prince Domo viewed
people who were hostile to Blood Land as barbarians, not caring about their
histories or cultures.

「You should be respectful and come down here while I still feel like being nice.」
Shanon struck Sword Breaker on the floor. Boom! Black shadows rippled out like
waves. 「Get on your knees and bow. Say “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, please
forgive me”. Beg me. Say “Blood Land will pledge their allegiance to Arthia”. Who
knows? I might go easy on you.」

Arthia. The name landed heavily in Prince Domon’s chest. The people that his father
had defeated and torn apart were now back to wreak their revenge.

“The clan is being restored?”

「That’s up to King Temper to decide. But since he’s back, it’s probably only a matter
of time. I don’t think it’s any of your business though. More importantly… why aren’t
you kneeling yet? 」 Although Shanon spoke in a jocular voice, there was an
apparent murderous intent sheathed in it. 「You might not believe me, but I have
some experience with this. Even though King Temper’s personality is a bit eccentric,
he listens to me. What about it?」

Prince Domo looked around the hall, biting his lower lip. The noblemen and knights
on their knees watched him sorrowfully.

“You can’t, Your Highness! Don’t give your head to the enemy! We’ll resist until the
end… ugh!”

“You cannot surrender… agh!”

The noblemen stood up to resist, but Dis Pluto, who stood behind them, took their
lives without any hesitation. The other noblemen and knights trembled as they
watched. Even those who had shouted loudly to resist seemed frightened now that
death was staring them in the face. They avoided Prince Domo’s eyes with miserable
expressions. They were only ordinary soldiers. The courageous ones who fought in
wars were killed like flies, so what could they do?

「You should prevent more deaths.」

Prince Domo turned back to Shanon with a frown, but his eyes trembled. “If I kneel,
will you spare them?”

「Depends on your performance.」

The prince didn’t reply.

「Aren’t they your precious people? It doesn’t matter if they all die to us. We don’t
care.」 He added that they would even welcome it because it meant more fun and
more souls.

Prince Domo began slowly descending from the throne with trembling steps.

“Your Highness!”

Sob! “Your Highness!”

The noblemen wept as they watched Prince Domo. Some pleaded with him to stop,
but when Dis Pluto’s swords drew near, they were forced to be silent. Prince Domo
slowly descended the stairs, one foot in front of the other, and walked down the hall
to stand in front of Shanon.

Up close, Shanon loomed so large that the prince had to look up at him. Although
there wasn’t much of a difference in their physical sizes, the prince felt small next to
him. If this was the strength of a subordinate, then what was the strength of the
Hoarder, who defeated his father, the Gluttony Emperor?

「Kneel.」

Prince Domo slowly knelt with his head bowed.

「Bang your head on the floor until it bleeds.」

Thump! Prince Domo began to strike the floor with his head, just as Shanon ordered.
He banged so hard that his skull cracked and skin tore until blood ran down his face.

「And what are you going to say?」

“I apologize.”

「I can’t hear you.」

“I apologize!” His choked voice began to fill with resentment. “I know you’re angry,
but please forgive the mistakes Blood Land made with Heaven Wing and Arthia…”

「Mistakes?」

“No. We beg for forgiveness for our sins… we hope you’ll find it in your generous
hearts to forgive us. We know we cannot atone for our sins even with thousands of
apologies. If you forgive us, Blood Land will never forget this act of kindness, and we
will serve Arthia on our hands and knees. Please forgive us.” The tearful voice rang
out clearly in the hall. Thump! Thump! Prince Domo continued to smash his head
against the floor. The noblemen couldn’t bear to look and turned their eyes away.

As he looked at the back of the prince’s head bowing over the bloodstained ground,
Shanon crouched down and whispered in the prince’s ear, 「Tsk-tsk! No, no. You’re
not a servant but a dog. Ruff ruff. You know that? Alright, try saying it. Go on.」

“Ruff!”

「Again.」

“Ruff ruff! Ruff!”

「Good job.」

“Ruff! Ruff ruff ruff!”

「Hahaha! Yes, now we’re talking.」

“Ruff ruff!”

Shanon burst out in laughter and stood up. Prince Domo’s tearful barking grew
louder. 「Aw. Your effort to save your subordinates is so admirable. That’s enough.
Son of a bitch, lift your head now.」 Was it finally over? Prince Domo held back his
tears and slowly looked up. He’d take the humiliation just this once. After all, Blood
Land’s long, thousand-year history wasn’t always filled with glory, and they had gone
through worse than this.

During those dark days, the kings had overcome the threat with their wisdom and
kept the land intact, leaving their descendants the task of reviving the empire.

This was just another one of those low periods. Under his rule, they might have to
live as Arthia’s dogs, but he firmly believed that his children or grandchildren would
one day avenge Blood Land for this humiliation.

At Shanon’s permission, he looked up, sure that the empire would still be safe.
However, when he spied the light flashing towards his neck, he was so shocked that
his eyes widened, unable to fully comprehend the situation.

「Aww, you idiot.」

He could hear the noblemen and the knights calling his name tearfully.

「You really believed that?」

Swish.

***

“And you say I’m the hot-tempered one.” Yeon-woo watched Shanon cut off Prince
Domo’s head through their shared connection, clucking his tongue. Shanon had
pretended to be lenient, only to humiliate the prince and kill him in the end.

Yeon-woo had ordered Shanon to take care of Blood Land and sent Hanryeong after
the Elohim. He told them not to spare a single person, but Shanon was too full of
mischief.

Shanon grinned, ordering the Dis Pluto soldiers under him to take care of the rest of
Blood Land.

「Where do you think I learned all this? I learned right at the side of our great King
Temper… 」 Yeon-woo cut off the connection with Shanon as soon as Shanon began
blabbering again. He looked up at the sky where Laputa, the floating castle, hovered.
He thought it had disappeared after losing its function as Kalatus’ lair.

It was time to retrieve the last of Jeong-woo’s belongings that he’d left behind in
Arthia’s clan house, along with the elixir.
Kalatus’ lair, the floating castle Laputa, used to be located in the Illusory World at the
center of the Dragon Labyrinth. Now that its caretaker, Uballa, was gone, it circled
the skies of the fiftieth floor, hiding itself with an automatic stealth feature. But if it
used up all of its stores of magic power, it wouldn’t be able to sustain the feature, and
there was also a danger that it would crash into the stage. At the moment, though, it
seemed to be functioning normally.

[‘Fire Wings’ is activating.]

[The winds of ‘Palm Leaf Fan’ are assisting with flight and direction.]

Yeon-woo spread his Fire Wings and flew to Laputa on a breeze that helped his
speed increase. The wind also carried Brahm, Galliard, and Edora. Demon Beauty
Castle didn’t try to follow them, since they had been ordered to wait on the ground,
but their eyes widened.

Brahm safely landed in Laputa after Yeon-woo and exclaimed with astonishment.
“The eldest of the Seven Demon Kings, the Bull Demon King, has many holy artifacts
and treasure, but I heard the Palm Leaf Fan is the best among them. What a
mysterious wind. How did you get your hands on it?”

“It just ended up that way.” He’d snatched the Palm Leaf Fan away after trying to stop
the Lion King’s escape. By now, it had become completely synchronized with him.

[Palm Leaf Fan (Partial)]

[Category: Double-handed weapon]

[Rank: Holy artifact]

[Description: The eldest of the Seven Demon Kings, the Bull Demon King, gave this
fan to his wife, Princess Iron Fan, as a wedding present. It is a treasure that has the
ability to create winds that grow stronger with every stroke. One stroke will create
strong gusts. Two will create rain storms. Three will create typhoons, and so on.

However, the Palm Leaf Fan is currently weak because it is not the complete
original.]

[*Favor of Wind

Your possession of the fan gains you preferential treatment by the wind. The wind
will follow you and your speed will naturally increase. As your proficiency increases,
skills that resemble powers will be released.]

[*???

This option is unavailable for viewing since the fan is not the original. However, it
can be released depending on your proficiency.]

[* ???

This option is unavailable since the fan is not the original.]

Yeon-woo only had a portion of the real Palm Leaf Fan, but it was still an incredible
accomplishment.

“It’s thanks to the Stone of Gula, eh? Looks like the Gluttony guy was of some use.”
Brahm carefully examined the wind with the curious eyes of a scholar. He quickly
realized that the magic power that pulled the wind was sitting next to Yeon-woo’s
heart: the Philosopher’s Stone. Just then, Brahm and Yeon-woo could hear the
Gluttony Emperor’s despair in their heads.

「My stone! My stone! Give it back! Give it… aaaack!」 He screamed in pain in the
middle of his sobbing, but his desire was still clear.

“What a noisy guy even though he’s already entered the Soul Collection. The others
were like that, too. Ha! I guess kings will be kings.” Brahm chuckled.

The Soul Collection was quite loud not just because of the Gluttony Emperor, but also
because of Magnus and Tom as well.

「How can a mortal do such a heinous thing?!」

「Please! Please let me go! I’ll do anything, so please…!」

Most of the souls that Yeon-woo absorbed lost their identities through the power of
the Black King. However, just as Brahm said, the kings retained their identities even
after becoming spirits, as if evidence of the power they had once wielded as rules of
the Tower. Their will to survive blazed as they looked for a means of escape.
However, Yeon-woo just scoffed as he watched them; there was no way they could
get out. He already owned them, and the more they endured, the more pain they
would suffer.

「My stone!」 The Gluttony Emperor was the most tenacious of them all. His soul
had probably developed a lot because of his possession of the Soulstone, and he
couldn’t let go of his obsession.

“If he’s awake, he should be worried about the fate of his people instead of the stone.
Tsk!” Brahm looked flabbergasted. Castle Blood was burning at this very moment
and the Spirit Guai were eating the souls of Blood Land.

Although the Gluttony Emperor was aware of this, he only squawked about the
Soulstone like a parrot without even sparing a thought for his people or even his
own child.

“But we have something useful too.”

[The power bound to the Throne of Death, ‘Purgatory Furnace’, has been revealed.]

「Kaaaacck! Aaaaak!」

「Please, stop! Stop! Aaaaack!」

「Kaaaaack! Save me! Save me! Or just kill me!」

Throne of Death was a divine position that ruled death and the Underworld, and it
could control rebellious souls or ones that had committed many sins during their
lives.

[Purgatory Furnace]

[Rank: Power]
[Description: The resentment and grudges of the souls are pulled out by hellfire,
which burns the deeds of the souls to use as a source of energy.]

Yeon-woo could use the souls he owned to create magic power whenever he ran out.
However, since he already had two Soulstones, it was extremely unlikely that would
ever happen, so he used it simply as a way of torturing recalcitrant souls. It made it
easier to read their thoughts and helped him extract useful information.

Each king had high-quality information, including the coordinates of each Outer
Space where their clan houses were located, the sites of secret storage spaces, and
more. In fact, it was thanks to the Purgatory Furnace that Shanon and Hanryeong
tracked down Blood Land and the Elohim.

Yeon-woo also discovered information about hidden pieces that only the kings knew.
He combined it with the information that Jeong-woo had and re-examined his
method of climbing the remaining floors.

However, what Yeon-woo enjoyed the most was that his understanding of souls had
deepened. ‘The mysteries of the soul are being uncovered.’ Yeon-woo had always
used souls as tools despite having the Black King’s power and never tried to analyze
them. Now that he had the Purgatory Furnace, things changed.

He could now investigate what souls were composed of, how the identities that
lingered were activated, the patterns of their thinking and recognition, and so on.

The mysteries that had been hard to understand even with Brahm’s lessons and
Dragon’s Knowledge were finally laid bare to him. If the identity of a soul were
destroyed by his experiments, he could hand it over to Shanon or Hanryeong. Yeon-
woo learned that souls were a useful resource and how he could avoid wasting
them…

“Sometimes, when I look into your thoughts I feel like I understand why Shanon goes
on about your temperament.” Brahm read his thoughts and grinned before cutting
his connection to the Soul Collection.

Yeon-woo grinned as well. “They’re useful.”

“Alright. If they’re useful, that’s good enough. The experimenter doesn’t have to
bother himself with all their troubles, hoohoo!” Brahm laughed boisterously. Despite
his words, he shared the same beliefs as Yeon-woo. He only opened up to Yeon-woo
and Sesha, and he didn’t care about sacrificing others in the name of knowledge.
“But…” He stopped laughing and narrowed his eyes. “Is Kalatus still quiet?”

Yeon-woo nodded. “Yes. I believe the damage to his soul itself was too great.”

“That’s the most tragic part.” Brahm licked his lips.

After Kalatus fell, Yeon-woo used Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword to absorb Kalatus’
corpse as well. Although his body had developed significantly, he hadn’t been able to
restore Kalatus’ soul properly. It had fallen into abyss ever since it was bound to the
Crawling Chaos. Even when Yeon-woo fed him black energy and tried to trigger his
memories, Kalatus’ soul became unstable as though it would shatter at any moment,
so he had to stop. “I’ll have to find a way later.”

“Of course.”

There was still much to learn from Kalatus, so Yeon-woo was planning on restoring
his soul through any method he could try. Wouldn’t there be a way if he analyzed the
souls one by one? If that didn’t work, he expected the Black King’s power to open a
new route after he became more proficient in it. “Besides that…” Yeon-woo laughed
again, and scanned their surroundings. Laputa was in ruins.

It had collapsed after Kalatus had been summoned forcibly, and it would take a lot of
time and resources to restore it. “The infection of the Crawling Chaos appears to
have progressed.”

The Crawling Chaos had left so much holy power behind that Kalatus’ energy paled
in comparison. It was difficult to distinguish the place from a dragon’s lair or a
temple worshipping the Crawling Chaos. If he’d arrived a little later, he would have
entered the Crawling Chaos’ territory.

‘Purification needs to happen before restoration.’ Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes. ‘Oh
well.’ Thinking to himself that he would need to restore everything slowly, he waved
his hand in the air.

[A new user is attempting to access the operating system.]

[The system recognizes the new user.]

[Dragon Root (Uballa) confirmed.]

[The new user has been registered.]

[Welcome, ###.]

The operating system controlling Laputa entered Yeon-woo’s hands through the
recognition of the Dragon Root. Since Yeon-woo had already been acknowledged as
the new owner of the labyrinth, the registration process was simple. He could now
easily control Laputa wherever he was, just like Boo’s dungeon. The new master of
the lair had arrived.

[With your authorization, the route to Arthia’s clan house is being opened.]

Through the settings, Yeon-woo opened the path to Arthia, which was hidden in the
deepest part of Laputa. When he stepped forward, his surroundings changed, and he
saw a large house up ahead.

***

Before Arthia’s clan house had been built, it was first designed with the clan
members’ best interests in mind. There was a laboratory, an archive, a storehouse, a
weapons room, a lounge, dorms, and a training area. Each area was designed
according to need, and there were private spaces for each clan member, as well.

Originally, it had been an Outer Space completely separate from Laputa, but after the
clan members left, Jeong-woo returned to Laputa, which was filled with memories
with Kalatus. He reset the clan house’s coordinates to this location.

‘The infection has spread all the way here.’ The Crawling Chaos’ infection had
invaded the center of Laputa, and even the clan house had turned black. The entity’s
holy power squirmed like a living being to block the trespasser. “It’ll eat whatever is
close by.”

“It already has an independent existence.” Brahm narrowed his eyes at the
ominously squirming holy power. Edora grimaced as she viewed it through her
Insight. The holy power sensed Yeon-woo and the other and began to approach
them, opening its mouth to show its fangs as it prepared to extend its tentacles.

“Let’s get rid of it quickly.” Brahm pulled out his Book of Mars, Galliard drew his bow,
and Edora unsheathed Divine Evil as they stepped forward. Yeon-woo brandished
Vigrid as well.
[The power bound to Throne of Death, ‘Hell Tribulation’, is being activated.]

[The element of ‘Holy Fire’ has been added!]

The flames from hell spread along the ground in waves. With the addition of Holy
Fire, the black fire instantly burned up the holy power, scattering it into ashes as it
was purified. Clack, clack!

[‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword’ is absorbing the Crawling Chaos’ holy power!]

Yeon-woo slowly walked forward with his left hand extended, absorbing the
remnants of the holy power.
Keeeek! Kyak! Kyak!

After the holy power of the Crawling Chaos disappeared from the clan house, it left
behind strange monsters. Without its connection to the Crawling Chaos, the holy
power took on independent identities and began to form different vestiges that were
too bizarre to have evolved naturally. They were so tough that even Hell Tribulation
and Holy Fire didn’t burn them.

However, Yeon-woo hesitated to increase the intensity of his fire power for fear that
the clan house might be blown away.

“How troublesome.” Brahm clucked his tongue and cast his magic, aware of the
problem. There were several explosions and a large magic square appeared. Holy
power was a god’s strength, and he was using magic to return the clan house to its
original condition.

Whoosh! As rays of light appeared, the holy power began to weaken. Galliard, who
was standing quietly in the back, released an arrow, which split into multiple pieces
that descended on the monsters’ heads, making them explode like fireworks.

[Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword is absorbing the Crawling Chaos’ holy power!]

[‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword’ skill proficiency has slightly increased. 3.2%]

[‘Atmam System’ is assessing the absorbed holy power.]

[Refinement Process: 32.1%]

[The Stone of Sin (Superbia.Gula) has reacted and is speeding up the process.]

[Final Refinement: 42.9%]

[The refined holy power has been bound to your magic power storage (Dragon
Heart).]

Yeon-woo weakened the monsters with Hell Tribulation, Brahm took them apart
with his magic, and Galliard and Edora took care of what was left. They repeated this
process multiple times, and after a while, they finally got rid of all the holy power in
the clan house as Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword greedily ate its ashes.

[You have made a small achievement.]

[You have acquired 50,000 karma.]

The clan house was exactly as Yeon-woo had seen it in the diary.

“It’s been a while.” Brahm quietly muttered to himself with a nostalgic expression. As
Jeong-woo’s alchemy teacher, he had had a close relationship with Arthia, and so this
place held special memories for him as well. Because he regretted not being at Jeong-
woo’s side since he was busy caring for Sesha, his walk down memory lane was
especially poignant.

Galliard, who’d believed he would stay in the Tutorial forever, was also emotional as
he remembered the child who had followed him around everywhere calling him
“Teacher”.

Edora was awed at the sight of the famed Arthia headquarters, but she also glanced
at Yeon-woo with concern.

Yeon-woo stared at the clan house. “Let’s move.”

Brahm looked at Yeon-woo and took Galliard and Edora somewhere else to give
Yeon-woo privacy.

***

The clan house was made up of a long building connected to three smaller ones
which made it look like an “E”. There were separate rooms and training areas that
were located far from the main building.

Yeon-woo slowly looked around each of the buildings. Although a long time had
passed, the cleaning magic kept the clan house neat, as though people were still
living in it. It made Yeon-woo imagine countless scenes.
“Hahaha! Why do you look like that?!”

“Haaa. That idiot has caused trouble again.”

“Haha! Yes! That’s our commander for you! Right?”

“Geez, that temper…”

“I love you.”

They were memories of Jeong-woo and his friends, like when he squabbled with
Bayluk over chemicals in his lab.

“Ahh! Hey, you psycho! I said we’re fucked if you touch that!”

“Huh? It’s not like this?”

“If you don’t know, just shut up and stay still! Geez!”

Memories of Jeong-woo giggling with Leonte in the storage room as they planned to
buy alcohol.

“How much do you think this is worth?”

“Hmm. Probably as much as the armor you’re wearing?”

“Damn. Why is this jewel so expensive?”

“Are you serious? Everyone is crazy about Mermaid Tears. How can a clan leader be
so ignorant?”

“Should we sell it and pocket the money?”

“Hey! If we get caught by Leon, we’ll both be dead.”

“Let’s buy drinks with it."

“OK!”

Memories of the nagging Valdebich gave Yeon-woo as he taught him Giant fighting
techniques in the common training area.

“Boss, you’re too weak. This isn’t good. Get up.”

“Hey! That’s not fair. Think of the difference between our bodies. Anyway, I wasn’t
made for hand-to-hand combat but magic…”

“You talk too much. Get up.”

“Ahhh!”

Memories of napping in the break room with Bahal.

“I want to sleep some more.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s do it.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Memories of wrestling over money with Leonhardt in the conference room.

“Boss, do you know how much money you’ve spent this month? Please… think before
you spend. I heard you bought a round for everyone at the pub because you were in
the mood? You told me that it was for buying items.”

“Hey. Why are you so suspicious? It’s not like you’re my wife.”

“Someone reported it to me.”

“Hahaha! Dammit…! Who snitched on me this time?!”

“Please! Stop spending so much, you moron!”

Memories of Kun Khr and Jeanne, who always argued with each other, dropping the
bombshell that they were planning to get married.

“Boss, I have something important to say.”

“What is it?”

“We’ve decided to get married.”

“What? What kind of impossible scenario…”

“We’re going to have a baby, too.”

“What? When?

Memories of Jeong-woo with Sadi in the weapons room, with Horst in the backyard…
Five years’ worth of Jeong-woo’s happy memories were all there. And in his brother’s
private room were Jeong-woo’s memories with Vieira Dune.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Yeon-woo just watched all of the scenes play out, and he saw his brother laughing,
chatting, arguing, shouting, and running around with his friends. At least he could
see his brother still smiling brightly, unlike at the end of the diary, which was filled
with tears, anger, and regret.

Of course, there were memories of his brother’s suffering as well, but Yeon-woo
intentionally avoided them. Was there a need to watch them? He was already
running out of time just replaying the happy memories. The pocket watch clearly
understood Yeon-woo’s feelings because it was unusually quiet.

“Is this it?” Yeon-woo found the room that was in the depths of the main building:
the clan leader’s office. ‘Where Jeong-woo closed his eyes for the last time.’

Yeon-woo slowly opened the door. Click. The office didn’t look too different from the
other rooms. Jeong-woo had liked reading, so the room overflowed with books.
There was black rug on the floor in the middle of the room, and on it were an oak
desk and chairs that Henova had made. As though someone had just been sitting
there, the desk was filled with pens, documents, and a little box.

Yeon-woo looked around his brother’s office and quietly sat in the chair. Creak. It
squeaked since it hadn’t been oiled in a while. ‘Here… ’ Yeon-woo rubbed the desk.
He was sitting in the chair where Jeong-woo had died, longing for his brother and
mother. This was the moment the diary ended, and the next clue began.

The dried-up pens and organized documents were exactly as they were in Jeong-
woo’s final recollection, but there was one new item on the desk: ‘The box.’

Yeon-woo slowly opened its lid. His eyelids trembled when he saw the pictures
inside of his brother smiling with his friends. He dug through his pocket and pulled
out the picture he’d received with the pocket watch. ‘It’s the same.’

The only difference between the two pictures was that the one in the box had
something written on the back: “The ninth day of the seventh month of the 6217th
year of the Tower. A fun day. From Arthia’s clan house.”

The letters were crooked and clumsy, like a child had written them, and they were so
large that they filled up the entire back of the picture. Only one person in Arthia had
this handwriting. ‘Valdebich.’

Since the half-Giant Valdebich had been raised as a warrior from birth according to
the traditions of the Giant species, he was illiterate. He’d only learned to read and
write thanks to Jeong-woo. Although it was important to develop your physical
abilities to climb the Tower successfully, learning how to read would give you more
options.

Furthermore, Valdebich’s thoughts moved differently from others. He spoke in

broken sentences, and only those close to him could understand him. It was
necessary for him to learn how to read and write to mitigate this.

Jeong-woo had sat with Valdebich and taught him to read and write whenever they
had time. Thanks to him, by the time Arthia had grown, Valdebich could speak
normally, although his ugly handwriting didn’t improve.

The box was filled with Valdebich’s other possessions: a small dagger, a ring, and
artifacts like necklaces. They were all presents Jeong-woo had given Valdebich.

Kalatus had said that Valdebich had been the one who retrieved Jeong-woo’s corpse
and belongings. Was this the evidence? Why had he disappeared, only to reappear
once everything was over? How had he found Laputa, whose location was unknown
to the members of Arthia, and how did he learn the new coordinates? How did he
send Jeong-woo to Earth?
Countless questions flashed through Yeon-woo’s head, and he hoped that he would
find the answer here. There was an envelope at the bottom of the box, and neat but
crooked letters spelled out: To Jeong-woo’s family.

‘So he did know I’d come.’ Yeon-woo carefully unsealed the envelope and opened the
letter to read the confession of a warrior.
The letter began: What I write here is little more than excuses and cannot be of any
comfort to the reader of this letter. I know I can’t repent for what I’ve done, but still… I
wanted to write these words. I’m sorry, Jeong-woo.

***

It all began with Bayluk’s words.

“Bayluk?” Yeon-woo hadn’t expected to hear that name, and the pocket watch began
to tremble uncontrollably. Yeon-woo put his hand around it to comfort it. Along with
Vieira Dune, Bayluk was the one who benefited most from Arthia’s fall and Jeong-
woo’s death. He was the one who had secretly fed Jeong-woo the poison that
eventually killed him: Red Lotus Eye.

The pain of the poison had been cruel, and Bayluk had even taken his time to poison
Jeong-woo so that it would be undetectable. By the time Jeong-woo realized that
something was wrong, the poison had already invaded his marrows, and it was too
late. It was around that time that Jeong-woo’s condition worsened, causing him to
become erratic and moody.

Bayluk was essentially the culprit who caused the disbandment of Arthia. ‘But the
problem is that no one knows where he is now.’ Bayluk had hidden himself at the
same time Jeong-woo collapsed. There was no way to find him.

Bayluk suddenly asked me, “Don’t you want to find your family?” It was the morning
that we were preparing for the war against the alliance of clans, no different from any
other morning, but I’ve never been able to forget it since.

The word triggered a desperation in me, someone who has never known my identity.
However, when I asked him what he meant, he only smiled strangely like always and
said, “I’ve found the ruins of the Giant species.” Those words were enough to drive me
mad.
Valdebich had always struggled with his identity since he was someone who was
neither human nor Giant. Being a mixed breed in the Tower wasn’t anything special
since so many players from different planets and dimensions were there. However,
Valdebich’s struggle was different.

He wasn’t as smart as humans, and he didn’t have the outstanding fighting spirit of
Giants. He was neither a mortal or an immortal, and he possessed an uncertain
position. Because he was the descendant of an extinct species, he drew a lot of
attention, but it was always a source of trauma for him.

Valdebich also didn’t know anything about his birth. He had faint memories of his
childhood, of a house with a large backyard, of siblings and friends who played jokes
on each other, parents who smiled at him and told him that they loved him.

However, those memories were foggy, and his parents’ faces seemed obscured by
shadow. The clearest memory he had was from when he was around five years old.
He remembered his grandfather, who called himself the family butler, forcing him to
learn the basic techniques of the Giant species.

His grandfather was different from his affectionate parents, and he always scolded
Valdebich cruelly and called him “loser” and “idiot”. He said that Valdebich wasn’t
good enough and was an embarrassment to the Giant species.

Because of this, Valdebich became a timid child who truly believed that he was a
useless being. This trauma persisted even after he gained the nickname Sword
Yaksha and caused a ruckus in the Tower. It was also the reason he’d become
obsessed with the idea of family.

Who was he? Why did he have to leave the family that loved him? Did they abandon
him? Or had there been some kind of incident?

If he hadn’t been raised by the strange grandfather and stayed with his family, he
would have grown up normally, right? Valdebich did everything he could to find his
roots, but he failed every time.

The Draconic species still had one last member, the Summer Queen, but the Giant
species had gone extinct much earlier and had left hardly anything behind. There
were even questions around the existence of a half-Giant like him, and whether he
was truly one. If so, were there still Giants living to this day?
Bayluk had used Valdebich’s insecurities about his family as bait, and Valdebich had
eagerly swallowed it, not realizing it was poisoned. He’d headed out to look for the
ruins according to Bayluk’s instructions, but he hadn’t been able to let Jeong-woo
and the others know.

Valdebich found it hard to tell them about his departure since they were all
preparing for war. In the past, his friends had excitedly helped him search for ruins,
only for the endeavor to end in failure.

I had overcome my trauma by then, and the location wasn’t that far, so I thought I’d be
able to return quickly. I didn’t think it would be a problem if I checked quickly and
returned. However, this was exactly what Bayluk had been planning.

Bayluk hadn’t lied. The ruins really did have traces of the Giant species, even more
than the ones Valdebich had investigated before. There were traces of villages, mass
graves, and even a hidden quest related to the fall of the Giant species. Valdebich had
become wrapped up in it and his obsession with his family and identity led him to
forget about Arthia.

The only thoughts in his head were related to the quest and his search for his family,
who might be in danger somewhere. Time passed, and by the time his reason
returned, everything was already over.

It was only then that I heard news about Jeong-woo, and I realized that I was a failure.
My family had abandoned me, and in turn, I abandoned my only friend when he needed
me the most… still, perhaps the heavens wanted to give me another chance.

I remembered that Jeong-woo had once mentioned to me that my family might still be
alive somewhere since he’d managed to meet a dragon, whose species was already
assumed to be extinct. He said perhaps I’d been separated from my family by some
accident.

Dragon. I had to find the lair of the last dragons. I don’t know if it was because they
shared the same traits as the Giant species, due to their immortality and arrogance at
once being the equals of gods and demons, but it wasn’t too hard to find the place. All I
had to do was go to the places where only superior beings would be able to approach.

I found Jeong-woo already gone. I had hurried so much, but in the end, I was too late.
Then, I remembered the reward I’d received from the ruins, and I used to send Jeong-
woo back to his homeland. Although I had ended up in my current situation, I wanted
him to have a chance to return to his family’s arms.

Valdebich had a ticket that allowed someone to travel to any dimension regardless of
the time and location without any restrictions from the laws of nature. Valdebich had
thought of using it to return to his species’ home dimension after finishing the
hidden quest, but instead, he opened the gate to Earth without any hesitation.

I was foolish until the end. I only realized what I had after I lost it. Jeong-woo was more
like my brother than the ones in my memories and more special to me than my parents.

Valdebich would never be able to return to his home dimension, but it didn’t matter.
He wanted Jeong-woo, his friend and brother, to return to his peaceful home world.

He remembered that when he’d first entered the Tower a long time ago, everyone
had thought about taking advantage of him except for Jeong-woo. Jeong-woo had
simply held out his hand and said, “Do you wanna be friends?”

Yeon-woo read the letter again and again before returning it to the envelope.
Valdebich had searched for his family, only to lose both family and friends in the
process. Yeon-woo could imagine Valdebich’s despondent face as he’d sent Jeong-
woo back to Earth before leaving Laputa with heavy footsteps, perhaps thinking of
his memories.

There was a small container next to the spot where the envelope had been. Yeon-
woo opened it silently to find a blue glass bottle on a faded cushion. It was the
elixir—the medicine his brother had tried so desperately to find but hadn’t even
been able to return with in the end.

***

“Can I ask you something?”

「What… is… it?」

“What was the Crawling Chaos like?”

While Yeon-woo had roamed the clan house following the traces of his brother, the
rest of his friends sat on a bench in the yard. Edora looked at the main building with
a worried face, and Galliard had gone somewhere, and so Brahm and Boo conversed
with each other. They shared a deep friendship since one was an alchemist and the
other a witchdoctor with many common interests.

They mostly spoke about their experiments, but recently, after Boo regained his
memory and identity as Faust, their conversations grew deeper. They couldn’t help
being curious about each other: one had once been a god, and the other had tried to
follow gods.

Brahm was especially curious about the Crawling Chaos, with whom Faust had first-
hand experience.

“Those otherworld gods are all beings we don’t know anything about.” The gods and
demons who had been trapped on the ninety-eighth floor for a long time were
envious of the beings they called the Outer Gods and players referred to as the
otherworld gods.

In their eyes, these gods had complete freedom, but no one knew about their origins.
The gods and demons had once traveled the vast universe and been worshipped by
multiple dimensions and worlds. They were all-knowing and omniscient
transcendents, which meant that they ignored locations that they didn’t recognize.
They thought useless and empty spaces were beneath them.

However, after they were trapped in the Tower and the otherworld gods appeared,
they were shocked to see cosmic beings so great and expansive that they no longer
had egos.

These entities weren’t newborn transcendents, either, since their legends were as
profound as theirs. They were curious about their origins, how they arrived at the
Tower, and how they managed to avoid the curse of the Tower.

They believed that learning this would help them escape the prison of the ninety-
eighth floor. However, because of their trapped situation, there were limits to what
the gods and demons could do. The otherworld gods didn’t acknowledge their
authority and quickly lost interest in beings that seemed little more than caged cattle
to them. This was why Brahm never had the chance to research the otherworld gods.

In fact, from the beginning, it had been hard to communicate with these strange
beings, and yet, the great mage Faust had managed to form a contract with the
Crawling Chaos, one of the greater otherworld gods. Through this contact, he’d even
gained enough knowledge to create the Emerald Tablet.

Since this Faust was right in front of him, there was no doubt that Brahm would be
interested. On top of that, while Yeon-woo had been busy with Kalatus, Faust had
made contact with the Crawling Chaos. Brahm wanted to know his impressions.

「There… was… nothing.」

“Nothing? What do you mean?” Brahm cocked his head, not quite understanding.

「It was… darkness.」

Brahm’s forehead wrinkled.

「False darkness… trying to imitate the Darkness… it was… an empty void.」

Brahm’s face stiffened. Darkness and void were familiar words.

「That’s… all… I remember… if… I want… to remember more… I must… regain… my…
former… life.」

The being was stopping Boo from remembering even though he was already an Elder
Lich.

“Then if you regain your former life, the Darkness…!” Brahm was about to ask
something when someone hurtled towards them with the sound of cracking glass.

Crunch! Crash.

Brahm barely managed to catch him. Pieces of broken armor showered on the floor.

“What happened, Hanryeong?!”

Hanryeong, who had been sent to deal with the Elohim, was heavily injured. Was
there even anyone in Elohim who could hurt Hanryeong? With the Roman Dictator
and the heads of the Proteogenoi family dead, the Elohim was now defanged.

Moreover, Hanryeong’s body was melting. Since he’d been born out of death and
created from shadows, he could be injured, but he would never die. And yet, that was
exactly what was happening to him. Brahm and Boo had never seen this strange
phenomenon before.

「Anti-Venom… has appeared… at the Elohim!」 He was referring to Anti-Venom

Bayluk.

At those words, Hanryeong’s arm fell to the ground and scattered into particles.
Whoosh.
“Oh dear. If I hadn’t happened to be here, everything would have been a disaster.”
The Elders all gritted their teeth as they watched the man walking down the
destroyed Elder Assembly, which had once been the core of the Elohim. Their long,
storied history and traditions had not only been mocked by riffraff, they were now
counting on someone they considered a savage to help them.

The attack of the shadow army and the undead that looked like the Saber God had
been so sudden. The Elders had been in an emergency situation because Magnus and
the Seven Member Squad were trapped in the Dragon Labyrinth, and the sudden
attack was so powerful that the Elders didn’t even have a chance to respond.

“Take care of all of them. If it looks dangerous, come back out.”

With all the heads of the Protogenoi tribe, the elite family of the Elohim, dead, it was
no exaggeration to say the Elohim’s forces had been halved. Of course, the Elohim
had more forces since their history began with the birth of the Tower. They had a
tight group of skilled players that helped them rule as one of the most powerful clans
for their entire history.

Blood Land had collapsed like a sandcastle after their leaders were killed because
their power was focused on their leader, but the Elohim distributed power evenly
and had a republican system that placed importance on individual responsibility and
honor.

Thanks to their efforts to preserve their outstanding genes, each of their members
were skilled. They had species that were half-magical, descendants of fallen angels,
and High Elves. They even had ancient divine species like the Vanir.

This meant that in the event of a new war, they wouldn’t fall so easily, although they
might not be able to achieve the glory of the past. However, this time was different. A
portal had opened over their heads during the assembly, and the attacks began.

The location of the Outer Space of the Elohim was a closely guarded secret, and the
location of the Elder Assembly was even more confidential. Even Elders didn’t have
the coordinates until they passed several layers of security checks, and one needed
to have special authority to get through each stage. Unless the Roman Dictator
Magnus opened the door himself, it would have been impossible to reach them.

The Elders had placed too much faith on this security system that they weren’t able
to defend themselves. The soldiers outside attempted frantically to enter the
building, but the shadow army blocked all the entrances so that they couldn’t get in.
In an instant, forty percent of the Elders were swept away.

The surviving Elders pulled themselves together and tried to counterattack, but their
formation was weak, and they fell under the soldiers that continued to pour out.
Hanryeong’s attacks at the head of the shoulders were particularly terrifying. The
smarter Elders quickly realized that he was the Saber God of the Cheonghwado as he
moved his nine swords. His sword dance was more vicious and intense than when he
had been alive.

At that moment, Bayluk appeared. The Elohim had invited the alchemist Bayluk to
help them with their long-cherished goal to restore the ancient species. Bayluk
happened to hear that there was a commotion in the assembly room and, with his
firepower, he managed to clear the entrances and enter.

The clash between the former enemy but current Arthia member, the Saber God, and
the former Arthia member but current enemy, Bayluk, was fierce. The assembly
room completely collapsed, and many Elders who died from the sharp winds and
poison. As if to show evidence of why he was called a cheat and a disaster by other
players, Bayluk used an abundance of unknown poison.

It was then that the seemingly invincible shadow army began to melt. Although they
were spiritual beings that couldn’t die, Bayluk’s poison melted their bodies. When
the assembly room slowly turned into Bayluk’s territory, Hanryeong retreated in
defeat.

The remaining members of the Elder Assembly managed to survive, but the ones
who had died had all been successors or leaders of important families among the
Elohim. When the news of what had happened to the Elder Assembly spread among
the members of the Elohim, the public outcry was loud. There was a protest outside
the new temporary assembly room, with signs that said “Declare war” and “Death to
Arthia”. They chanted, ”Hand the leadership to our savior, Bayluk!”
Most of them wanted the Elder Assembly, which had dishonored the Elohim, to step
back, and let Bayluk take the reins to prepare for the upcoming attack.

The Elders were shaken at this potential loss of authority. Although they’d been
saved by Bayluk, it seemed like the control of the Elohim would be given over to him.
The irony was that Bayluk, who had once been part of Arthia, was responsible for
this mess. However, the people were turning their backs on the Elder Assembly, and
the Elders didn’t know how to regain their trust.

What was more, Bayluk had the ability to manipulate public opinion. It was difficult
to believe that he was a scholar who was always in his lab doing experiments. He was
very sly.

By the time the busy Elders finished taking care of the commotion, Bayluk was
already participating in their conferences even without having the right credentials,
and he was soon even making important announcements.

And now, as Bayluk walked past the center of the Elder Assembly and sat in an
empty seat, the older Elders glared at him. However, Bayluk scoffed and didn’t seem
to care. The younger Elders quickly surrounded him as if to protect him. Their
numbers were growing, and it seemed to signal the start of a new party. A storm that
could swallow up the entire Elder Assembly was brewing.

“What are you doing? Let’s begin the conference. We’re short on time already.”

The Elders narrowed their eyes at his tone, but the emergency situation was more
important, they had no other option but to tolerate it.

“The topic we’ll discuss today is…” An Elder read the atmosphere in the room and
stepped up to the podium to introduce the topic for discussion. “The declaration of
war against Arthia and the Devil Army’s proposal of an alliance…”

***

「I apologize, Master… 」

Yeon-woo’s eyes flashed as he watched Hanryeong try to stand tall even with his
serious injuries. His Draconic Divine Eyes told him the poison was melting away
Hanryeong’s body, and he was in serious danger. It was another death for someone
who had already died—what kind of irony was that?
The black energy from the Soul Collection only slowed the poison’s spread but didn’t
treat it.

「I’m ashamed that it’s ending like this even after you gave me Guai.」

Yeon-woo had given Guai, Ruk, Nan, and Shin respectively to Hanryeong, Shanon,
Boo, and Rebecca. He thought Guai suited Hanryeong’s sword dance the best. With it,
Hanryeong was able to surpass his abilities as the Saber God, and yet he’d been
totally defeated by Bayluk.

“Who did you say it was?”

「Anti-Venom.」

Bayluk… to think he’d be with the Elohim. It was totally unexpected. And he was
armed with an impressive poison. Had he always had it? ‘He probably made it after
Jeong-woo died.’

Bayluk’s island on the twenty-eighth floor appeared in Yeon-woo’s mind. It was an

empty lab that had evidence of various experiments.

He still didn’t know what Bayluk had been working on, but it might be related to the
poison he was using, which was so powerful that it managed to injure a Death Noble
like Hanryeong. Much of the shadow army was also irrecoverable. It was something
to be wary of, and it might even be a weapon that could fight the Black King’s power.

“Boo.”

「Yes… Master.」

“Find the antidote through any means.”

「Your wish… is my… command.」

Swish. Boo disappeared, and Brahm stood up. “I’ll also do some research on it.
Something about this poison is strange.”

“Thank you.” Yeon-woo bowed to Brahm and approached Hanryeong, who was about
to fade away.
「I am ashamed to have a last request.」

Yeon-woo didn’t say anything, but Hanryeong continued calmly, as if he knew Yeon-
woo would listen to him.

「It may be troublesome and you may deem it unnecessary, but even after I am gone,
please take care of my incompetent son.」

Yeon-woo was reminded of his dying mother, who’d gripped his hand and
desperately asked him to take care of Jeong-woo. Did all parents worry about their
children when they died?

「He has a foolish nature and has committed a grave sin. However, he had to grow up
without his mother and without sufficient care. Please take pity on him. I don’t
expect much. Please take care of him until he can be independent and stand on his
own.」

Yeon-woo firmly refused. “No.”

「Ah.」 Hanryeong looked down at the ground, thinking his last request had been
denied.

However, Yeon-woo snorted at him. “What are you thinking? I’m saying you should
take care of him yourself.”

「What…?」

“Drink this.” Yeon-woo tossed a bottle to Hanryeong when he lifted his head again.

「What is this?」

“Elixir.”

Hanryeong’s Inferno Sight widened. He knew the significance of the Elixir. 「Master,
this is…!」

“It should be effective. If it doesn’t work, I’ll find a way to resolve this, so don’t start
talking about dying.”
「But… 」

“Don't forget. You’re my familiar; I won’t allow you to die.”

「Master… 」 Hanryeong looked at Yeon-woo with a moved expression, and he

suddenly stuck a sword in the ground. He knelt and bowed. 「Until I disappear, I will
serve you and help you reach your path’s destination.」 After making the pledge,
Hanryeong began to drink the Elixir.

Yeon-woo closed his eyes momentarily. ‘This should be enough, right?’

『Yes. I’m satisfied. Thank you, Master.』

‘I should be thanking you. Thanks for understanding.’ Yeon-woo listened to Nike

chuckle. He’d struggled over the decision to abandon Hanryeong or save him. Unlike
Shanon, he and Hanryeong had met as enemies. He was the one who killed Nike’s
mother, the Phoenix, and Yeon-woo had used his son as a hostage.

Now, he had familiars whose abilities equaled those Hanryeong and might even grow
to be better than him. All he had to do was throw Hanryeong away and make
someone else a Death Noble, but Nike had changed his mind. ‘Don’t do that, Master.
Save him. I don’t want him to go through the same thing I did.’

Nike had seen himself in Hanryeong, who was worried for his son until the end.

‘You’re more of an adult than I am.’ Forgiving your enemy wasn’t easy. Hanryeong
had likely learned of Nike’s request through their shared connection.

『Heehee. That means I can take advantage of Hanryeong now, right?』

He listened to Nike joking. “Shanon.” Swish. Yeon-woo turned to Shanon, who

appeared through the shadows. Behind Shanon, Dis Pluto quietly stood at attention.
Although Shanon always joked around, at the moment, he exuded an intense aura.
“Turn Laputa around.”

「Where are we going?」

For a moment, Yeon-woo contemplated heading to the Elohim’s Outer Space, but
unless they were fools, they had probably set up their defenses. Entering now would
be suicide. He needed to adjust his plans. “The Outer District.” His eyes flashed. “I’m
going to announce that Arthia has returned, along with a declaration of war. Our first
opponent is the Elohim.”

The residents of the Tower would now have to choose their positions. Would they
stand with Arthia or with the enemy?
“Wh-wh-what’s th-that?”

“Huh?”

It was a normal day when the Outer District fell into panic mode. Although the news
that Heaven Wing had returned raged everywhere, it was initially treated as nothing
more than a passing distraction by the inhabitants of the land of dropouts. They had
fun chatting about it, but the consequences and significance didn’t hit home until the
floating castle Laputa tore through space and slowly appeared in the sky.

The daily activities of the players and inhabitants of the Outer District were
interrupted, and they looked up in surprise as the shadow loomed over them.
Although it had sustained damage from the Crawling Chaos, Laputa was still the lair
of the last dragon king, Kalatus.

Its size was impressive and overwhelmed everyone who looked at it. At the same
time, a message window popped up for the players and inhabitants of the Outer
District. It was a decree from Laputa, and everyone was taken aback when they read
it.

“A-Arthia has reappeared…!”

“Heaven Wing has declared war!”

A piece of news as shocking as Heaven Wing’s reappearance struck the world of the
Tower.

***

“I hereby announce that Arthia has returned.”

The message dispatched to all players and inhabitants of the Outer District was only
one sentence written in an arrogant tone as though it expected its audience to
understand its significance. However, its assumption was not misplaced because
everyone who read the decree trembled.

The rumors that Heaven Wing had returned and that three of the Nine Kings had
died, most players felt concerned about the future but didn’t understand what it
would mean. Although there was an atmosphere of war in the air, and it was clear a
massive battle would soon take place, most players didn’t think they would be
involved.

However, the decree frightened them as they grasped its meaning: Arthia hadn’t
forgotten its struggles and grudges, and they were prepared to avenge themselves.
They also wouldn’t have delivered such a message unless they had the power to
stand against the rest of the Tower, ready to face all possible scenarios.

As if evidence of this, another piece of news shook the Tower: “Blood Land has
fallen.”

It had been one of the Eight Clans that ruled at the top of the Tower. However, this
impregnable fortress had been breached, and the massacre was so complete that not
even a mouse was left.

Players who had believed that there was nothing left to achieve in the Tower grew
panicked. Other people responded differently. For every person fearful of the coming
war, there was another person who couldn’t contain their excitement. Some stayed
quiet and decided to observe first.

Soon, other big incidents erupted one by one.

“The Elohim has been partially destroyed!”

“The Lion Alliance has chosen to disband.”

“The Fantasy Regiment has cleared the upper floors and taken over Green Dragon.”

“Black Dragon is going through internal strife.”

“White Dragon is closing off floors to get a chance to catch their breath.”

The Lion Alliance had split up without contributing much in the Dragon Labyrinth.
Only painful outcomes awaited the different groups: the mercenary alliance was
crushed, the Magic Tower dissolved, and other clans were annihilated. Arthia’s
sudden attack had left the Elohim on the verge of destruction like Blood Land, but
they had managed to just barely defend themselves. The Fantasy Regiment, only
recently considered an emerging clan, turned their blades to the upper floors and
nearly ruined Green Dragon, forcing them to give up their territory. The leaderless
Black Dragon had fallen into different factions that fought for control. White Dragon
had suspended their activities in the Tower and retreated to their Outer Space to
recover indefinitely.

The chaos that had resulted from the events of the Dragon Labyrinth had spread far
and wide, and the news were completely unprecedented.

The Eight Clans’ power, which seemed to be immovable, had begun to shake from the
foundation, and obviously, players had strong reactions to this. Voices from different
groups began to rise up.

“The Nine Kings must be changed!”

“The fall of Blood Land is only the start.”

“The system around the Eight Clans will collapse, and a new system centered around
Arthia will take place.”

“From now on, the history of the Tower will be written by Arthia and Heaven Wing.”

The first thing to change was the list of the Nine Kings and the Eight Clans. The Nine
Kings had once included the following: Allforone, the Martial King, the Head Bishop,
the Spring Queen Waltz, Autumn Lord Tom, Roman Dictator Magnus, the Gluttony
Emperor, the Black Prince, and Moonchild.

Waltz and Tom had taken the vacated slots of the Summer Queen and the Sword God,
but now, three new places were empty. Busybodies who liked ranking people quickly
filled the empty spots with others: Heaven Wing, the Fantasy Regiment Leader, and a
player called Anti-Venom.

After he eliminated the Gluttony Emperor and Magnus, Heaven Wing was
comparable to the Head Bishop and Waltz. The Fantasy Regiment Leader had
brought Tom down and raised the Fantasy Regiment to a large clan akin to Black
Dragon.
Before this moment, Anti-Venom Bayluk had already been powerful enough to be
one of the candidates for the Nine Kings even though he wasn’t affiliated with any
group. Now that the Elohim were behind him, his name was added to the bottom of
the list.

Huge adjustments were made to the list of the Eight Large Clans too. Blood Land and
Black Dragon were removed, and two other groups took their place. The final list
was:

Allforone.

White Dragon.

The Devil Army.

The Elohim.

Daud Brethren.

Sea of Time.

The Fantasy Regiment.

And lastly, Arthia.

The inhabitants looked at the new list, which had changed practically overnight,
concerned about the brewing storm. Players began to contemplate how they could
ride the storm to become one of the stars in the sky. Others moved in a different
direction.

***

“He’s finally begun.” Heidi suspended climbing the floors with her subordinates after
receiving news about Arthia. She clenched her fists with resolve. Because of her
divine blood, she had a bit of power to see the future. After she’d split up with the
Hoarder on the twenty-ninth floor, Heidi had predicted that he would rise higher
than anyone expected. His potential was too immense.

It was only that others couldn’t see this because he was like the moon, something
that was often obscured by darkness but the closer they grew to being full, the more
brightly they lit up the night sky. Back then, the Hoarder had been a half moon, and
once he grew into a full moon, he would practically burn up the night with his
splendor.

However, the night sky also needed stars to accompany the moon, and Heidi wanted
to be one of them. It was why she, Dylan, and Jun had struggled to expand their
forces, and they could now reap a bit of what they’d sowed.

“Heidi!” Dylan ran over frantically. He knew how long Heidi had been waiting for this,
so his face was red with excitement as well.

Heidi nodded solemnly. “Yes. Let’s go to the Outer District. We have to be there.” Her
eyes darkened. “Gather the rest of the clan.”

***

“Hahaha! I see! So, that’s what it was! Heaven Wing! If it’s you, then anything is
possible. I understand now why you have Hanryeong with you.” Faceless slapped his
knees and burst out laughing. Then, the rough voice of a middle-aged man turned
into a woman's high-pitched voice. “Yes. I came back from the dead too, so there’s no
reason why you shouldn’t. Isn’t that true, my children?” When he looked down with
insane eyes, various ghosts twisted into strange forms and circled him, making
monstrous noises together. Oooo.

“All right, my children. Let us all dance together!” On that day, five castles on the
forty-sixth floor burned down, and all the inhabitants of the floor disappeared. Caw!
Caw! Only crows were left flying in the sky.

***

“As expected of you, Captain. The way you cheat people and your preparations to
unleash your temper are truly entertaining. Very good.” Jang Wei ripped the decree
and slung his bow on his shoulder. The bolder his captain was, the more he could do.
He slowly slid into the darkness of the street and disappeared.

***

“It’s quite noisy.” Edora covered her face with her hood, peering at the people who
were gawking at Laputa. She had expected things would become chaotic as soon as
the castle appeared, but the response was beyond her expectations.
The Outer District had lost its purpose—its inhabitants moved far from the dangers
of the upcoming war, and the players were also moving elsewhere. It had likely
spread through the Tower that Laputa was Arthia’s clan house. It would be a huge
headache for many clans since they usually placed clan houses inside Outer Spaces
to protect them from their enemies.

However, with Laputa in the sky over the Outer District right in front of everyone, the
large clans hostile to Arthia had a dilemma: they couldn’t attack Laputa easily but
they couldn’t leave it alone, either. They were probably racking their brains to
calculate what kinds of traps had been set up in Laputa, just like the Dragon
Labyrinth.

This made the Outer District especially noisy, and there were likely more than a few
people who were talking about how they could attack Laputa.

However, Edora knew that Yeon-woo would probably just leave Laputa alone even
with all the dangers coming in its way. It was already so high that it was hard to
approach, and unless one of the Nine Kings stepped up, any attacks would be little
more than just attempts. ‘I never thought the Summer Queen herself would step up
to help.’ She narrowed her eyes as she thought of the Summer Queen, who was
probably sitting in Laputa’s control room at the moment.

“The last residence of the dragon king… all right. Fine. A place like this will have
hidden magic and useful equipment somewhere.” It was incredible that the Summer
Queen still existed, but it was even more incredible how easily she had agreed to
Yeon-woo’s request to protect the castle. The Summer Queen said it was because
Laputa was Kalatus’ lair, and she’d have much to learn, but Edora’s Insight told her
that wasn’t the true reason. ‘It’s because of her longing for Oraboni’s brother, for
sure.’

Anyway, with the Summer Queen looking over Laputa, there was no need to worry
about attacks. Also, staying in the Outer District had some benefits. They were finally
showing confidence that they could stand against any enemy. ‘Second, it’s a signpost
for any forces who want to work with or under Arthia.’

Heaven Wing had been destroyed in the past, but his influence in the Tower wasn’t
small at all. Although they kept quiet, many supporters still missed him, and just as
many had enjoyed a good relationship with Arthia. Not all of them would return, but
even if a few came, they would be a great addition. There were also groups who
wanted to forge new relationships with Arthia.

‘Oraboni definitely won’t create Arthia as a mere clan like his brother. He’s going to
make something big, maybe even an empire.’ Its influence would take over the Tower,
and in the end, he’d probably crush the Tower with his own hands. From what Edora
knew, Yeon-woo’s mission was to break the Tower, not play political games.

He was someone who would use his brother’s legacy as a tool to reach his goal.
Organizing her thoughts, Edora quickly followed Yeon-woo, who hid his identity as
they walked through the crowd. Their destination was the village of the One-horned
tribe.

‘I wonder how he’s been doing.’ It was to pick up her foolish brother, Phante.
Although there was a commotion in the Tower about Heaven Wing and Arthia’s
return, the One-horned tribe’s village was just as calm as ever, as if they were
completely in a different world. There was just only one change: the villagers were
mesmerized by the sight of Yeon-woo’s face without the mask.

“Huh? He’s good-looking without his mask!”

“Did you forget what I said? He’s Heaven Wing’s twin brother, so of course he’s good-
looking.”

“Dammit! I thought he was wearing the mask to hide his ugly face. He was deceiving
us! That conman was fooling us this whole time!”

“Seems like he’s gotten stronger.”

“He might even be the king’s match. I want to have a go with him. Can’t I?”

“Hey, hey! Get in line, you morons! I’m first!”

“What are you talking about, I called dibs.”

“Ahhh! It’s so loud!”

Just because the One-horned tribe didn’t have many exchanges with the outside
world, it didn’t mean they were completely disinterested in the things that happened
there. They had a general idea of the Tower’s situation, and they obviously also
heard things about Yeon-woo.

Also, Edora had already told the tribe members that Yeon-woo wasn’t the real
Heaven Wing but his twin brother. No one was confused by the situation, and
instead, they felt a stronger urge to fight. It didn’t matter whether or not Yeon-woo
was the real Heaven Wing; what mattered was that he’d been placed on the same
level as their king.
It didn’t mean that they believed Yeon-woo was really the Martial King’s equal, but
surely, he had some skills. As the tribe members were crazy about fighting, honor,
and pride, they were tempted to fight Yeon-woo again.

Yeon-woo didn’t say anything, but the tribe members were already putting a queue
of names together of people to spar with him. Those on the bottom of the list were
making bets on how many victories Yeon-woo would win and how powerful his true
abilities were. If Yeon-woo rejected their offer to spar, they were ready to charge at
him.

“Get in line, idiots!” Amid the mayhem, the Head Elder welcomed Yeon-woo heartily.
“Long time no see.”

“It’s been a while, sir.”

“I heard you took your mask off. You’re handsomer than I expected.”

“Thank you.”

“So…” He trailed off, and looked Yeon-woo over as he pushed his glasses up. His eyes
glinted with a deep competitiveness. Yeon-woo was so powerful now that even
though he was relatively calm and reasonable for a One-horned tribe member, he
couldn’t contain his excitement either. Just what experiences had Yeon-woo gone
through, what battlefields had he fought in, and how many times had he been on the
brink of death to become this strong?

The Head Elder saw in Yeon-woo’s eyes a look that only belonged to those who had
overcome the threat of death many times. It was the gaze of someone who had such
profound experiences that others found it hard to approach them. Only the Head
Elder and a few others in the One-horned tribe—the generation that experienced the
Great War—had this look.

He wanted to ask Yeon-woo what he had been through, and he was willing to wait
until a later time if Yeon-woo couldn’t do it now.

“Hey! The Head Elder is trying to cut in line!”

“Get in line, sir!”

“Boo! People in power should scram, boo!”

“You fools.” He glared at the noisy tribe members and sighed, opening a path for
Yeon-woo. It seemed like he’d have to wait for a long time if he wanted to spar with
Yeon-woo. The other option was to push them all away with his strength. “Ah, right.
Sesha’s doing well, by the way. She misses you.”

Yeon-woo was about to walk past the Head Elder when he paused. The pocket watch
was trembling in his breast pocket. Urrrrng. He had reacted as soon as he heard his
daughter’s name. Actually, this was the reason why Yeon-woo hadn’t gone straight to
the One-horned tribe after his business in Tartarus was finished. He didn’t have the
face to see Sesha and Ananta.

However, he couldn’t avoid it forever, so he returned. Still, he felt heavy. Brahm

squeezed Yeon-woo’s shoulder, as if saying it was all right. Yeon-woo looked at him
for a while and nodded solemnly. He turned to the center of the village.

Before taking Phante away, he needed to greet his teacher first. But…”How dare you!
Never, over my dead body!” The Martial King rolled around on the ground in front of
the tribe chief’s residence with a towel wrapped around his head. Edora looked to
the side in embarrassment, pretending not to notice her father.

“What are you doing, sir?” Yeon-woo looked at the Martial King with an appalled
expression.

The Martial King continued to roll on the floor like a child throwing a tantrum and
shouted, “My daughter is off limits! How dare you try to take my precious daughter
away from me? You’d better get through me first!”

“I’ve come for Phante.”

“Eh? You didn’t come for her?” The Martial King jumped up.

Yeon-woo sighed. “Yes. You got it wrong, sir.”

“Shucks. I always wanted to act like a dad stopping his future son-in-law from taking
his daughter.” The Martial King frowned and turned to Edora. “What have you been
doing all this time? You couldn’t even tie him down.”

“Father!” Edora screamed, her face red.

The Martial King plugged his ears with his fingers and shook his head. Then, he
looked at Yeon-woo anxiously, as if he’d suddenly got a bad feeling. “Disciple, is it
possible that you’re not interested in Edora but you’re interested in P…!”

“What kind of nonsense are you speaking, Father!”

“Is it? Whew! That’s a relief. Sexual orientation is a personal matter, but I was hoping
my child and disciple would be hetero…”

“Please, shut up, please!” Edora’s blushing face had turned into a flaming red color.

The Martial King continued to plug his ears shamelessly. “OK, you damned child.
Sheesh, who do you take after to have such a loud… hm? Hahaha! Honey, of course
not. Do you think I’d say that about you?” The Martial King excused himself in a
panic. He’d clearly received a message from the Psychic Medium, who was watching
them.

With the Summer Queen gone, the Martial King was considered to be the most
powerful entity in the Tower aside from Allforone, but he was nothing but a weakling
to his family. “Oops. Yes, of course, ma’am. Yes ma’am, yes. I’ll deliver the message,
ma’am. Hm? Am I being sarcastic? Never. No way. Yes, ma’am. I’ll go see you later.”
The Martial King quickly made excuses and sighed. Then, he shook his head with an
exhausted expression and swiftly returned to his mischievous self again. “So… you
guys already did the dippity-doo-dah?”

“Did Mother say that?”

“Yes. And I heard an earful to not mess with my daughter’s love life. I see. So that’s
the situation. Hahaha! You should’ve said something. No need to be shy. Hahaha!”

“Ahh, Mom…”

“Hahahaha! Bahahaha!”

“Stop laughing!”

“Bahahahaha!”

This was why she didn’t want her father to find out. Edora rubbed her temples. She
expected her mother would know since she watched over everything, but she didn’t
think her mother would tell her sneaky father.
“My daughter’s wish finally came tr—!”

Kashing! Edora pulled Divine Evil halfway out. If he continued any further, she was
going to fight him.

“Ahem! OK, OK. I’ll stop. Pft.” The Martial King’s beaming face didn’t show any sign of
turning to normal. Then, he raised his eyebrows at the two. “Right. Edora, stop by the
Spirit Pond before you leave.”

“Why?” What was her damned father up to this time? Edora glared at him
suspiciously.

The Martial King’s smile widened. “Do I look like a mean person who always plays
pranks on you?”

“You should stop pretending otherwise.”

“Hehe. Fine. That’s true. But it’s your mother’s request that you stop by the Spirit
Pond.”

“Why?”

“She says it’s time to open the Yang Sword and start the Spirit Connection.”

Edora’s face stiffened. “The Spirit Connection… already?”

“It seems like your mother saw something. The timing seems to be right, too.”

Edora looked at Yeon-woo for a moment like she realized something.

“What is it?”

“It’s fine.”

There was nothing about the Spirit Connection in the diary, so Yeon-woo couldn’t
think of asking anything else. Edora smiled in an ironic manner and shook her head.
Then, she turned back to the Martial King. She seemed to have steeled herself for
something. “OK. I can head over now, right?”

The Martial King nodded.

Edora sighed and said to Yeon-woo, “I’ll be back soon, so you should find Phante
first.”

“I will. I don’t know what it is, but I hope it goes well.” Yeon-woo didn’t ask where the
Spirit Pond was or find out more about the Spirit Connection. It seemed to be related
to Edora’s mother, the Psychic Medium and not something he ought to be involved in.
Edora’s determined expression told him that it wasn’t going to be an easy task, and
all he could do was encourage her.

Edora smiled, looking more at ease, and turned away. When only Yeon-woo and the
Martial King were left, the Martial King smiled and looked Yeon-woo over. “You look
more human now.” His canines appeared between his slightly parted lips. The
atmosphere around him changed instantly as well. He looked like a beast that
wanted to play with an amusing prey. “Time to take a look.”

“I have something to do. I’ll receive your teachings later.” Yeon-woo tried to get out of
it, suddenly feeling anxious.

“Hehe. Are you saying you have dignity now that you’re a leader? That’s good.” The
Martial King’s eyes flashed. “But it won’t be easy.”

Yeon-woo immediately pulled out the Magic Bayonet and Carshina’s Dagger.
Explosions soon followed. Boom!

***

“Argh! That effing chief cut in line again!”

“Sheesh! That personality…!”

“The chief and Cain are going at it!”

“Damn it! Everyone, just watch!”

The explosions from Yeon-woo and the Martial King’s clashes instantly spread
beyond his residence to the rest of the village. The red flames that followed were so
fierce that they threatened to burn the entire village up, but the tribe members
weren’t concerned, as though they were only looking at a campfire. It wasn’t
something that would affect them, and they believed that the barriers around the
village would prevent any damage. Even if a few houses did collapse, this happened
so frequently that no one was bothered about it. However, they were indeed angry
about something: even though the order of combatants versus Yeon-woo had already
been decided, the Martial King had jumped the queue. Boom. Grr! Rumble!

However, Yeon-woo had no time to be concerned about such things. Amid the red
flames, he couldn’t predict where the Martial King’s punches and kicks would come
from even though he had activated both his Fiery Golden Eyes and Philosopher’s
Eyes.

[Vimalacitra watches in amusement.]

[Cernunnos observes you and your teacher.]

“I’m disappointed if this is your all, dear disciple.” Easily ripping through the storm
of flames of Wave of Fire, the Martial King’s coldly smiling visage appeared. His eyes
were dark despite his smile. If this was the best Yeon-woo could do despite being
considered one of the Nine King, the Martial King wouldn’t leave him alone,
especially since that meant Yeon-woo had jumped into his revenge too hastily.

The Martial King hadn’t been surprised by Yeon-woo’s face, which meant that he’d
either already guessed his identity or seen through it. His gut feeling was probably
almost close to precognition.

Yeon-woo was grateful that the Martial King was treating him the same. However, he
remembered how the Martial King had flatly rejected his brother’s request, so he felt
a bit of resentment. It suddenly occurred to him how satisfying it would be to land a
single slap on his teacher’s face.

[Sky Wings]

Yeon-woo opened both the wing of death and wing of fight without any hesitation.
The countdown began, and multiple powers focused on him. The power of the
Throne of Death began to awake.

“Yes. Now it’ll feel great to punch you! I was frustrated because I couldn’t do this in
front of my daughter!” The Martial King grinned with his teeth bared as if he were
finally content and swung his fists.

In an instant, a powerful storm churned around them. It was the power that had
destroyed Kuram with a single punch. Crash!
「Whew! The disciple wants to punch his teacher’s face and the teacher wants to
beat his disciple up—how can the two of you be so alike? As expected of King
Temper’s teacher. Then that should make him Emperor Temper, or maybe even God
Temper!」 Shanon’s voice rang out, full of enjoyment. 「It’s a showdown between
God Temper and King Temper! It’s a party! A big party!」
Boom! The explosions that filled the air were so loud that it felt like his ears would
fall off. The Martial King was too strong; each step that he took made the ground
quake, and each fist made storms gather. In his youth, before he’d gained the
nickname “the Martial King”, he had been called “the Walking Disaster”. From the
shockwaves each movement he made caused, Yeon-woo could understand why.

And now, he was stronger than he’d been back then. Yeon-woo was fending off his
attacks with Vigrid, his Sky Wings spread wide, but that was the most he could do.
His Draconic Eyes tracked the Martial King’s movements, but he didn’t have time to
predict their path. He couldn’t even think about counterattacking, and the fight
ended with him just barely holding on.

On the other hand, the Martial King looked relaxed the entire time. “Try a little
harder.” He was only demonstrating a part of his power. “Your abilities shouldn’t stop
there.”

Yeon-woo had heard this in the past before too. “I thought you were finally growing a
little more useful now, but is this all you amount to? You’re still lacking. You have the
vessel; why is this all you can do?” Back when he was in danger of being crushed by
Allforone, the Demonism said this to him with his nose in the air. He wondered why
this was the best Yeon-woo could do despite all that he had.

Technically, the Demonism was right. Yeon-woo had a unique trait that had never
been seen in the Tower before—the Demonic Divine Dragon Body—and he had two
Soulstones. Vieira Dune had managed to swallow Mother Earth with just one
Soulstone. In comparison, Yeon-woo’s achievements were too pitiful. The Demonism
had shown him how to use everything he had to fight. At the time, Yeon-woo had
been strong enough to stand against Allforone.

Now, with another Soulstone and creation of the Stone of Sin, although his abilities
hadn’t necessarily grown in proportion, he had more potential.

The Martial King saw this and wondered why Yeon-woo was so limited. The Martial
King sought the most direct path and saw the greatest value in it. “You have the same
problem as in the past.” The Martial King smiled mischievously, but his eyes flashed
sharply. “Your mental state doesn’t follow your body.”

Yeon-woo was silent.

“It seems like you’ve artificially cobbled together the talent I spoke about and forced
your different powers and skills to fit your body. However, you still have a long way
to go.”

Just as the Martial King pointed out, Yeon-woo had been trying to find a way to fit his
powers and skills together into a complete whole. However, he hadn’t done any self-
cultivation after the Five Mountains of Penances on the twentieth floor.

“There’s only one thing you can try.”

“What is it?”

The Martial King grinned playfully. “You have to force it out.”

Yeon-woo was dumbfounded. A teacher’s job was to guide an inadequate disciple,

and it seemed as though the Martial King was trying to express this. However, Yeon-
woo couldn’t help feeling like the Martial King was getting a kick out of making him
suffer.

Yeon-woo instinctively tried to turn back. Boom! The Martial King made the ground
shake. The sky and the earth trembled as though he were the only being in the
world. Eight exact clones of the Martial King appeared as though a snake had shed its
skin. They ran around in different directions.

It was Nascent Soul Body, the superior art of the shadow that Waltz had
demonstrated in the Dragon Labyrinth, but the Martial King’s bodies looked even
more realistic than Waltz’s. Chhhh. The skill Nine Grade Lotus Throne allowed nine
different steps to appear at the same time, and the Martial Kings spoke in resonant
tones as they surrounded Yeon-woo.

“Even one.”

“Was hard enough.”

“But nine feels like death, hm?”

“That’s why I did it.”

The Martial King’s Nascent Soul Bodies giggled, pressuring Yeon-woo as they
released different arts simultaneously, activating the Eight Secret Skills of the Eight
Extreme Fists. Rumble!

Yeon-woo twisted to avoid the fists flying towards his face and barely managed to
deflect the hand that aimed at his waist. Clang!

Vigrid cried out like it was going to break. Yeon-woo’s hand felt like it was going to
fall off. However, as soon as he saw the grinning Martial King’s face, he realized that
the Martial King had planned this all along. Behind him, two Martial Kings attacked.
Boom.

One used Blast combined with Arhat Eighteen Palms, and the other used Winds with
Tiger Quake. Eighteen shadow hands covered Yeon-woo’s head, and a sharp tiger’s
claw flew towards his waist. He used the Wave of Fire to prevent the Martial King
from holding onto him and quickly spun around, shooting Fire Lightning.

[Heaven Bracket -Flame Wheel]

[Wave of Fire]

Boom!

The sky split, and lightning instantly ripped the shadow hands apart. Yeon-woo
folded his wings and dashed forward among the bolts.

[Wind Path - Gale]

[Heaven Bracket - Shinmokryeong]

[Palgwae Swords - Secret Skill Shooting]

He used Wind Path to blast out gales that amplified his attack and focused the
strength of Heaven Bracket onto Vigrid before brandishing it. Different skills, arts,
and Mugongs gathered as one to stop the Martial King’s hand.
Clang. Although the Martial King wasn’t using a weapon the sound of steel against
steel rang out. The Martial King who was using Tiger Quake didn’t stop and pressed
forward, making three consecutive punches with Orbit mixed with Seasonal Abyss, a
special art of the Martial King that was created by the addition of a secret skill and a
Mugong. Each punch could easily crush Yeon-woo and bent space with their force,
creating jet streams and sonic booms in their wake.

Boom! Yeon-woo managed to block the first attack with Vigrid, but the impact left his
hand broken, his bones tearing through his skin. Crack. He realized that his shoulder
had been dislocated. ‘How can a single strike be so powerful?’

It was impossible for him to be injured, considering how tough the Demonic Divine
Draconic Body was. Vigrid was bent as though it would snap at any moment. If they
clashed a few more times, Yeon-woo was sure his body would shatter into pieces.
The Martial King was someone who could made the impossible happen with total
ease.

Boom. There were still two attacks left: one heading towards Yeon-woo’s chest and
the other to his right shoulder. Yeon-woo quickly flapped his wings in retreat, but the
attack that exploded on his chest tossed Vigrid up to the sky. Even the activation of
the 666 powers of death couldn’t stop the Martial King.

[Nergal is shocked that his powers have been destroyed so easily.]

[Aesma-daeva watches the situation with close attention.]

[Hel bites his nails with an anxious expression.]

[All gods of death shake their heads.]

[All demons of death look at your opponent with expressions of annoyance and fury.]

[Vimalacitra watches your battle in amusement.]

[Cernunnos narrows his eyes.]

As Vigrid spun in the air, the final attack landed on Yeon-woo’s shoulder, pulling his
arm down as blood spurted out. Yeon-woo’s right arm was torn right out of its
socket. The attack was so intense that it could hardly be described as sparring. Yeon-
woo’s eyelids quivered.

“They say a sword isn’t a part of your body and that it’s just a tool. Bullshit. If it’s in
your hand, that makes it an extension of your hand. What else would it be? However,
you have to be ready to throw it aside when the situation asks for it.”

Yeon-woo gritted his teeth as the Martial King continued, “If your arm is cut off, will
you offer your neck, too? Of course not. You have to fight well. Track everything with
your eyes.” The Martial King’s sharp gaze seemed to burn into Yeon-woo’s heart.
“You shouldn’t treat a tool as your body, but use your body like a tool.”

Like a tool. The words echoed in Yeon-woo’s head in a nagging way, but he couldn’t
grasp them exactly. His thoughts were on a similar path: his skills, powers, and
Mugong were just weapons to him. He hadn’t been precious with them and didn’t
hesitate in merging them for various combat methods. People who were picky about
martial arts were repulsed by this, but he didn’t blink an eye. He knew he was
correct.

However, the Martial King was telling him that it wasn’t enough and to use his body
as a weapon as well to achieve his goals. What was his goal? Wasn’t it simple? There
was only one goal in a fight: ‘To take the life of your enemy.’

Swish. He immediately turned to chase after the Martial King. Like a tool. Repeating
the words in his head, he shot his left arm out to blast Lightning Strike. His Dragon
Heart and the Philosopher’s Stone squeezed out magic power. Urrrrng. Whoosh. His
body expanded and reddish-black scales appeared on his skin.

[5th-Step Dragon Body Awakening]

[All powers have been released.]

Yeon-woo cried out like a dragon roaring after waking up from a long slumber.

[Vimalacitra is astonished.]

Thunder and lightning rattled the world, the lightning bolts making yellow streaks in
the sky and sweeping away everything in their path. Spark.

“This is fancy.” The Martial King only scoffed. “But you still have a long way to go.”
With a single wave of his hand, he pushed the lightning away easily. “Becoming a tool
doesn’t mean acting rashly. It means you should observe a situation coldly and
without any fear, then come up with an appropriate response. You have to keep
observing. Your eyes must always be on your enemy.”

The attack Yeon-woo managed to squeeze out was futile in the end, but he didn’t
miss the opportunity and continued by making consecutive strikes with the Eight
Secret Skills, from Break Heaven to Iron Ground.

Since he had trained in the sword, he needed Vigrid to demonstrate his power
properly, but the words of the Martial King echoed in his head. ‘Like a tool.’ He
repeated them to himself over and over. Boom.

Like a tool. If he didn’t have a sword, he could use his fists. If he was missing his right
arm, he could fight with his left. Why? Because he was a tool. With those thoughts in
mind, he followed the Martial King relentlessly.

“Eyes aren’t simply for seeing. You must sense everything fully. Trust your senses.
Gather your five senses, gut feeling, and sixth sense so that you don’t lose your
opponent. You’ll see it if you track them correctly. Otherwise, you’ll only be defeated.”

Yeon-woo stabbed, blocked, and ripped. He didn’t focus only on the attack but
gathered all of his senses as the Martial King had advised, concentrating on the
Martial King. Each action, each movement of his muscles, and each breath he made
sought to grasp everything. He tried to find an opening and tear it open. Because of
this, his right arm hadn’t regrown with Regeneration yet. He was centering all of his
magic power in his eyes and strengthening his mind, which controlled his body
closely.

[Time Difference]

At times, he activated Time Difference in order to focus on predicting the Martial

King’s moves. He had only one goal: to bring down the Martial King. His body, magic
power, mind, consciousness were all focused on the Martial King. He didn’t have the
capacity to take in any other information.

[You have fallen into a hyperfocused state.]

[Warning! Your mind has overloaded from extreme stress.]

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Self Neglect’.]

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Ego Loss.’]

[Vimalacitra takes a deep interest in your current condition.]

[Vimalacitra is curious how you plan to overcome it.]

[If you cannot overcome your condition, Vimalacitra may be greatly disappointed.
Take heed of this.]

There were many messages, but he couldn’t read them. All he did was repeat to
himself: ‘Become a tool.’ The powers that supported him gathered intricately into
each attack, overloading his calculation functions and making him dizzy.

He could see space twisting from the force that Sky Wings generated. He was
struggling since he’d not only awakened his Dragon Body but was also controlling all
his powers at the same time. Either he’d collapse or his brain would melt.

After a few moments, his consciousness faded and he entered a state in which his
mind had become focused to the point of making him little more than a machine.

Become a tool. Focus on ending your enemy. These were the only thoughts in his
head. No, there was more: track with your eyes. Trust your senses.

His attacks became more precise and honed. Anyone who even tried to stand close to
him would be cut into pieces. The Hell Tribulation that wrapped around him flamed
up more intensely, adding to his fire power.

[You have been heavily injured.]

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Lightheaded’.]

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Critically Injured’.]

[Your status ‘Self Neglect’ has escalated to ‘Brink of Death’.]

Although his ribcage had exploded, one of his eyes was dripping blood, and his left
leg was nearly severed, he tenaciously looked for any vulnerability in the Martial
King. Finally, Yeon-woo discovered different lines floating around him: three thick
ones and dozens of thin ones.

He instinctively realized what they were: Mugong, skills, powers, magic, graces,
Factors, and options. They were tangled up like a ball of thread but hadn’t merged
into one thing.

Yeon-woo had believed he’d been using them all seamlessly, but it seemed like all
he’d done was tangle them together. He hadn’t done anything else.

Now, he tried to combine them into one thing. It was a struggle, but he was sure he
could do it. His eyes were focused on the Martial King but his thoughts were on the
lines until he managed to combine them into one line: an imperfection.

[Vimalacita is excited at the world you’ve discovered with his eyes.]

[Vimalacitra nods vehemently and slaps his knees.]

[He looks at you with warm eyes.]

Yeon-woo felt like he’d been slapped in the head. Others had imperfections, so why
wouldn’t he? If he’d only put in the effort, he would’ve seen them with his Draconic
Divine Eyes. And if he had erased them one by one, wouldn’t he have grown faster?
‘No.’ Then he shook his head. ‘It’s only now that I can see it.’

He had only seen it because he was in a state of egolessness—something he’d only

managed to attain because of the insurmountable obstacle that was the Martial King.
If Yeon-woo hadn’t fought him, how would he have a chance to see it? He might have
gone through his entire life ignorant of it all. ‘I have to face him directly and break
through.’

Yeon-woo slashed the imperfections around him hesitantly.

[Vimalacitra agrees with your decision.]

[The grace of ‘Black Gubitara’ is always with you.]

Crack. He felt something break inside him. It was muffled but to Yeon-woo, it
sounded louder than a thunderclap. Catharsis flooded in and embraced his body and
soul. The prison of his body had been broken apart, and his trapped soul finally
gained some freedom. The slowed time returned to normal.

The Martial King smiled at him proudly. “You’ve finally managed to catch my tail.”

Yeon-woo understood what he meant. He had now just learned the right way to use
his toughened body. It was only a minute piece of ability, but he could develop it
easily if he continued training. Yeon-woo had finally reached a new peak: arhat.

It was the final step that any swordsman aimed to reach. He’d finally put one foot
forward.

[Vimalacitra is greatly satisfied.]

However, Yeon-woo didn’t allow himself to be carried away by the feeling of

accomplishment and stabbed the imperfections with Vigrid. The Black Aura of red
fire entered it and rushed along the Martial King’s arm before stopping at his chest.
Although the sword just scratched the Martial King, it was a vast improvement,
considering how Yeon-woo hadn’t ever been able to touch a single hair before.

A satisfied smile spread on Yeon-woo’s face. The Martial King nodded in approval.
“You’ve done well.”
“It is all thanks to you.”

“Of course, it is. I’m so amazing that I whipped a fool like you into what you are now.”

Yeon-woo smiled wryly at the Martial King’s boast. Yeon-woo only grew stronger
after absorbing all kinds of things, and unlike him, there was only one word to
describe the Martial King: genius. Yeon-woo must have been extremely frustrating to
him.

“But…”

Yeon-woo looked questioningly at him.

“You dared try to see the blood come out of your gracious teacher’s body?” The
Martial King raised the corners of his mouth and cocked his head. “Do you want to
die?”

Yeon-woo realized that Vigrid’s tip was still pressing on the Martial King’s chest. His
expression instantly turned flustered. “J-Just a moment! This is beyond my
control…!”

“Shut up. I’ll give you a beating first, disciple.” The Martial King pushed Vigrid aside
with his left elbow and punched Yeon-woo in the stomach at the same time. Yeon-
woo felt like the world was spinning. He couldn’t breathe.

The Martial King whispered sweetly in Yeon-woo’s ear, a cruel smile on his face. “And
I think you’ve forgotten something. Aside from the teacher in front of you, there are
eight more of us. Let’s have a lesson.”

Before Yeon-woo could reply, the Martial Kings who had hung back all ran towards
him and began to stomp on him.

***

Rumble. The stone door of a cave opened, and Phante squinted at the sunlight he
hadn’t seen in a while, grinning. How much time had passed since he began to train
in Blood Lightning? He had been so focused on his secluded training that he couldn’t
tell how long it had been. Still, he was aware of some of the news from the outside.
Yeon-woo had finally returned and had declared war on the world with his mask off.
He felt thrilled and excited. He knew how long Yeon-woo had been waiting for this
moment. The fact that he had taken his mask off probably meant that he was ready
to fight the world. The path in front of Yeon-woo would probably be filled with rocks
and thorns. Phante was already anticipating how much he would grow and how
thrilling the blood and battles would be.

Also, he was curious how much stronger Yeon-woo had become. Phante himself had
grown so strong that his past self was a pale shadow of who he was now. He was
confident that he could stand toe to toe with his father’s younger self, back when
he’d been called a genius. He even worried that Yeon-woo might be weaker than him.
If so, would they have to reorganize their hierarchy? Their difference in power was
the reason Phante was the little brother, after all. ‘Then, I can become the hyung-nim
and take care of my little brother.’ He found himself smirking as he thought about it.
It would be fun.

Just then, he saw a man standing at the entrance. He wasn’t wearing a mask but
those eyes were impossible to miss.

“Hyung-nim!”

“Huh? Why is your face like that?”

Yeon-woo’s face looked a bit strange. His eyes were bruised black and blue, and his
cheeks were swollen. His clothes looked like they had been stepped on. In fact, Yeon-
woo looked like he’d just been beaten up.

“Phante.”

“Yes?” Phante automatically took a step back, getting a bad feeling from the sound of
Yeon-woo’s voice. Chills ran down his back.

Thud. Thud. Yeon-woo walked closer like a zombie. “I didn’t realize it at first, but you
really take after Teacher.”

Phante was puzzled.

“A lot…”

“What…!” Before Phante could fully respond, Yeon-woo’s punch came flying in. He
was passing down the lesson of love. “Do you feel wronged? I do, too.”
“Uncle!” Sesha’s footsteps were loud as she ran into Yeon-woo’s arms. She seemed to
have grown taller since the last time he saw her. Was it because time seemed to fly
past at her age? Yeon-woo felt a surge of affection and also apology. The pocket
watch didn’t react—it had been a long time since it had.

He was going to pat her on the back when she suddenly pinched Yeon-woo’s cheeks
and stretched them out. “Sesha?”

“You mean uncle. Why didn’t you show up for such a long time? I hate you!”

“Things happened.”

“You said you would visit soon! But it still took you a long time! I heard that you
returned to the Tower so quickly, too!” Sesha stretched his cheeks out even further.

Yeon-woo ruefully smiled. She hadn’t only grown physically. She was so clever that
she probably guessed what Yeon-woo had been up to. He had to face the music and
not make any excuses.

“So how did it go?”

“What?”

“What you were doing. How did it go?”

“It went well.”

“Then I forgive you.” Sesha removed her hands from his cheeks and placed them on
her hips with an air of importance. She looked so cute that Yeon-woo just hugged her
tighter. “Why is Mr. Phante’s face like that?” When she saw Phante behind him, she
cocked her head.

Phante’s eyes were black and blue, and he was rubbing an egg over them as he
glowered at Yeon-woo. Yeon-woo could hear him mutter something that sounded
like, “That damned temper. They say students become like their teachers; he’s
exactly like Father.”

“It’s because he fell.”

“Hm? Why are his eyes like that if he fell?”

“I wonder. He was probably being careless.’

“Aw. He should be more careful.”

“Yeah. He does.”

Phante was astounded by their conversation, but Yeon-woo pretended not to notice
and changed the subject. “What about your mother?”

“Mom and I were reading together! I was reading it to her. I’m doing good, right?”

“Sesha’s all grown up now! You’re even reading your mom books in case she’s bored.”

“Yeah! I’m all grown up now! It’s fun learning with mom!” Sesha jumped down from
Yeon-woo’s arms and led him to a room where Ananta sat quietly in a rocking chair.
There was a blanket over her knees and a book at her feet.

“Hehe! Mom! Uncle’s here! He gave me a present too!” Sesha beamed as she skipped
around Ananta, showing off the gift that Yeon-woo had given her along the way.
Ananta’s eyes were still unfocused and blurry, but Sesha continued to chatter as
though Ananta were smiling at her.

Yeon-woo wordlessly watched Ananta. Urrrng. The pocket watch finally trembled,
and he knelt down to look Ananta in the eyes. “Ananta.”

There was no response.

“I don’t know what dream you’re having, but you’re probably happy there with
Jeong-woo and Sesha, right?”

Brahm had once mentioned that Ananta was showing progress, but the reason she
wasn’t responding mentally was that she was trapped in a dream. She was probably
avoiding the trauma and stress of the outside world by immersing herself in the
happy scenes she longed for. Perhaps that was why she refused to come back to the
real world. She was afraid of the shock she’d get.

The only way for her to awaken was to break through. Her fears. It wasn’t something
her father Brahm or daughter Sesha could do.

She needed someone else who could hug her, comfort her, and lead her out. That was
why Yeon-woo placed the pocket watch on Ananta’s palm. With a click, the case
opened. Tick. Tock.

“I don’t know how Jeong-woo’s doing in there, but in the future, he’ll protect you. So
don’t be too worried.”

Ananta was still silent, but Yeon-woo believed that she heard him somehow. He left
the pocket watch in her hand and slowly stood. Sesha grabbed onto his sleeves.
“Uncle, Uncle! Is Dad coming?”

“Yes. He’ll come soon.”

“Whoa! Really? When?”

“Just wait a little longer. He’s so far away that he says it’ll take a while to get here.”
Yeon-woo rubbed her head, looking at her sparkling eyes and thinking about his
brother’s wish to hug Ananta and Sesha.

***

“It’s so precious to you. Are you sure it’s all right to just give it away?” On the way to
the cottage to play with Sesha, Brahm looked at Yeon-woo with a slightly concerned
face. He knew how important the pocket watch was to Yeon-woo. It was the only
thing he had from his brother.

“I didn’t give it to her.” Yeon-woo just grinned and shook his head. “I only made sure
that those two had some time together.” His brother had wanted to see Ananta and
Sesha. It was a bit late, but he was trying to grant that wish. Yeon-woo paused and
looked at the cottage.

***
After Yeon-woo left, the pocket watch was the only thing that made a sound in
Ananta’s room. Tick. Tock. Just then, Ananta’s unfocused eyes fell on the pocket
watch. However, she wasn’t really looking at it as the sound of the second hand made
past events flash through her mind.

“Ananta, right? Nice to meet you.”

“Ananta?”

“Ananta…”

“Thank you.”

“Go.”

“Don’t show yourself again. Ever.”

She remembered the first time she met Jeong-woo, how flustered he’d been when
she confessed her feelings, and his anxiety when she rebelled against her father.
Then other memories followed: realizing that he didn’t have the heart to open up to
her, her decision to move on, and the laugh that made her take back that decision.
She remembered the way he’d raised his voice to tell her to leave after she’d told him
that she would take care of Sesha.

“I’ll do anything I can to protect her.” The words she had said to him became her
chains. Sesha was the only thing that Jeong-woo left behind, and she did everything
she could to protect the child born from her heart. Even if her body were destroyed
in the process, she would care for this precious daughter. The scenes flashed past as
though she were watching a film.

Brahm and Yeon-woo were mistaken. Ananta wasn’t having a dream imagining a
time when she, Jeong-woo, and Sesha could be happy. She was reliving the pain of
her past. Each day had been exhausting, but she had loved Jeong-woo passionately.
She was willing to give her life up for him, and there were moments she could smile
at Sesha because of her love.

And yet, those were also her happiest memories. The pocket watch didn’t feel cold in
her hand, but instead, it was warm. The feeling made the scenes whirling in her mind
crack like grass. Light poured through to create new scenes, fitting together like a
puzzle until the image of a pocket watch appeared.
There was something familiar about it, and it seemed as though Jeong-woo were
speaking softly in her ear.

“This? Oh, it’s a present my brother gave me. A birthday present from home. Pretty,
isn’t it?”

He was lying on his back in a field, rubbing the pocket watch in his hand. He’d
answered with a bright smile that she hadn’t ever forgotten. Drip. Drip.

Tears fell on the pocket watch, drop by drop. Her eyes were still unfocused, but they
quivered for the first time. “Jeong… woo…”

The pocket watch shook at the trembling voice, as if reassuring her that it would
always be there. Urrrng.

***

“Did we leave anything out?”

“Nope. Although there’s something I want to do.”

“What is it?”

“Can I punch your face just once?”

“Sure.”

“Really!? I can?”

“Of course. We can exchange punches. How’s that?”

“Never mind. It’s fine.” Phante sulked, no longer in the mood to talk. After Yeon-woo
had given him a few blows, he realized that his monstrous hyung-nim had become
even more of a monster.

Still, he had to admit it was fun. Although Yeon-woo had lost to the Martial King, his
father was an outlier anyway.

Edora stood at the edge of the village path, holding Divine Evil in her hand. Although
she looked the same, Phante felt something was strange about her. Yeon-woo
must’ve felt the same thing because he watched her for a while and asked “Your
business?”

Edora nodded. “It went well.”

“Good to hear.”

“I thought it would take longer, but it’s a relief it ended quickly.”

When Edora beamed, Phante finally realized what the unfamiliar energy around her
was. His eyes widened. “Hey, did you…”

“Be quiet. Don’t say anything.”

“Mmkay.” Phante nodded at Edora’s sharp look. Before, he would have acted up, but
he could tell she wasn't in the mood. If his hunch was correct, Edora had probably
experienced something beyond imagination.

‘Spirit Connection… Is Edora now confirmed to be the next Psychic Medium? Mother
seems to have made her decision sooner than expected. What did she see?’ She
would take care of it anyway since she was always a few steps ahead, but now, he
became sure. Just as he’d gained Blood Lightning, Edora had gained something
similar that would be a great help to Yeon-woo and Arthia.

Phante suddenly grew curious. According to Yeon-woo, Arthia was already on the
move. Soon, their members would gather, and they were so strong that they would
become a significant presence in the Tower.

What was Yeon-woo’s standard for strength? And where was Phante on that scale?
He suddenly wanted to know. How many of them would be qualified to stand
shoulder to shoulder with him? Even though he lost to Yeon-woo, as the Martial
King’s son, he should at least be second only to Yeon-woo, even if he didn’t have the
brains.

He thought it wouldn’t be a bad thing to organize the hierarchy first. He could also
test out his Blood Lightning while they were at it. It seemed like his wishes would be
fulfilled soon enough. Normally, he would have been preoccupied by the floating
castle that cast a shadow over nearly the entire Outer District, but instead, he was
distracted by a fight that was brewing right in front of his eyes.
The bustling business district had grown silent. Two groups of people stood facing
each other, their swords pulled out. The atmosphere was tense.

It was hard to tell what had happened, but one thing was for sure: one group were
their allies, and the other group were their foes. It seemed that their enemies had
sent soldiers to prevent those who wanted to ally with Arthia in check. Another
possibility that their allies had gathered to prevent their enemies from raiding
Laputa.

Phante’s fingers felt itchy. Then, he noticed a player hanging back on the enemy’s
side. His hood made it hard to see his features, but he had a menacing air. At first
glance, he didn’t seem particularly strong, but Phante’s trained senses told him that
the guy was dangerous.

“Bayluk.” Just then, Yeon-woo muttered to himself and spread his Fire Wings to
break up the standoff. Although he looked as cold as usual, Phante could tell that he
was holding back his rage. His skin prickled from the aura that Yeon-woo left behind.

“I have no idea what’s what.” Phante smiled mischievously and followed Yeon-woo.
“But it looks like things are going to be fun from the beginning.”

Boom! Sparks exploded along his skin and blood-red lightning bolts began to
descend.
When he pulled out Blood Sword, Kahn grimaced as he cut his palm. He had been on
his way to the Dragon Labyrinth after hearing that Yeon-woo had opened it, but the
floor was now closed. He had to go back to the Outer District once more. ‘Heaven
Wing, Heaven Wing… ’

Yeon-woo had already warned him in advance about his real identity. Still, Kahn
couldn’t help feeling surprised when Yeon-woo told the world he was Heaven Wing.

Kahn remembered the turmoil Heaven Wing caused and had been one of the people
who mourned his tragic death. In fact, Heaven Wing had a huge influence on his
decision to go to the Tutorial with Doyle. The fact that Heaven Wing’s twin brother
was causing turmoil that was on the level of an earth-shattering disaster made his
heart thump faster.

He managed to meet Creutz’s Illusion Knightage below Laputa, and as they waited,
an Elf named Heidi appeared, followed by her own forces called the Children of the
Forest.

They were an up-and-coming clan that Kahn had heard news of occasionally,
although not because of their combat power. There were plenty of more powerful
clans throughout the Tower. The Children of the Forest were considered remarkable
because of their characteristics. They were always everywhere. They weren’t picky
about new clan members; they accepted them all, from the dropouts of the Outer
District to merchants and inhabitants on each floor. The members all had different
jobs, as well. They included bards, scientists, poachers, traffickers, mercenaries,
knight-errants, magicians, and members of different tribes.

They had nothing in common, not even their home worlds, backgrounds, goals, and
missions in life. Only one thing tied them together: they had been abandoned by the
world. They’d all put their weapons and pride down at some point and could no
longer be considered players.

Most clans had clear goals—to subjugate floors, expand their forces, or gain more
power—but the Children of the Forest didn’t do any of that. They only provided
shelter to those who needed it.

“The world may have abandoned you, but we will not” was their slogan. Those who
were exhausted from the extreme competitiveness of the Tower and longed for the
warmth of companionship began to join, and the number of clan members grew
exponentially.

When those who had been at the top of their fields before retiring joined, the power
and numbers of the Children of the Forest grew by leaps and bounds.

Because their clan members were scattered through each floor, they were able to
synchronize with each other. They gathered information from various sources to
learn important things and manipulated public opinion. Players who used martial
arts gathered teams to clear floors. Not only did they have an intelligence network,
they also had independent forces.

As the large clans clashed with each other, the influence of the Children of the Forest
grew day by day. And now, their leader had come in person to become a subordinate
to Arthia.

Kahn was taken by surprise. Heidi said that she was here to pay back a favor she
owed Yeon-woo. Since the Yeon-woo that Kahn knew was famous for his bad temper,
that situation was unheard of.

There were many other forces who came to work under Arthia: the Eight-Step Pirate
Crew, Greenshade Star, Cursed Half-Moon, Sophie’s World, Monstrance Gate, Godly
Lightning, and so on. They had once been under Arthia or enjoyed good relationships
with them.

The news that Heaven Wing had returned and reformed Arthia after killing three of
the Nine Kings encouraged them to return. Although they weren’t part of the four
new clans like Infinite End or Iron Throne, some of the clans were at the same level.

They probably wanted to observe the emerging star, Arthia, before making a decision
to join. Their standing would be greatly affected by whether or not they chose to be
with Arthia. Thanks to all of them, Kahn could see the sudden change in Arthia’s
status with his own eyes.

Until only a few days ago, Heaven Wing had been considered an unlucky hero who
had been in the wrong time and wrong place, or even an Icarus figure or a fallen
star—someone who had once risen brilliantly only to fall after losing all of his light.

Although people mourned and respected him, there were also those who mocked
him for disappearing without being able to complete his goals. They were jealous
because they hadn’t been able to match his strength.

Things had changed, and Heaven Wing’s fame was even more brilliant, and it spread
like vines tightening around players’ necks. Many feared Heaven Wing would take
revenge on them for ridiculing him.

However, Kahn, who knew who the real Heaven Wing was, felt melancholy. The
group of people that had appeared were nothing more than a bunch of hyenas trying
to feed off Heaven Wing’s former glory and honor, unable to sense the danger lurking
in the darkness.

Still, he knew that they were needed as a stepping stone for Arthia to become a large
clan, and Arthia would need them to get through the long war that was coming. In
the end, he didn’t say much and just observed them.

It was around that time that forces hostile to Arthia’s allies arrived: the Elohim and
the Devil Army. Kahn was struck dumb. As far as he knew, it was impossible for the
two clans to cooperate. The Elohim were second to none with their elitism, and they
considered themselves descendants of gods. On the other hand, the Devil Army
believed that they worshipped the true god and all other gods and demons were
false idols. They could never work together.

Although they had worked together to destroy Arthia in the past, it had been more of
a mutual understanding rather than a direct alliance.

But not anymore. They had decided to temporarily put aside their beliefs and
grudges to get rid of their enemy, Heaven Wing. Kahn especially couldn’t believe who
was at the head of the Elohim.

“So that’s where the clan house is? I’ve missed it. I do wish I could see it again.” The
famous traitor of Arthia, Anti-Venom Bayluk, stroked his chin with an amused
expression. When he noticed Kahn silently glowering at him, he smirked. “You must
be the one who’s going to take my position?”

Bayluk’s voice sounded easygoing, but Kahn didn’t miss the murderous intent within
it. ‘Bayluk’s resentment of Arthia is great.’ It should have been the other way round,
but from a different perspective, Bayluk probably had his reasons for committing
such a cruel act.

‘But that’s not my business.’ Kahn wasn’t interested in Bayluk’s reasons. Now that he
was with Arthia, he would have to clash with Bayluk anyway!

“We shall help.”

“It’s not much, but we’ll help too.”

At Creutz’s command, the Illusion Knightage all summoned their wyverns to soar up
to the sky, and the Children of the Forest quickly pulled out their weapons on Heidi’s
orders. The other clans and parties were caught in the middle.

“Shit, what is going on…!

“Do we have to fall back for now?”

They hadn’t decided to join Arthia yet. They had only shown up to straighten out
their relationship with Arthia and make deals to see what they could gain. Even if
Arthia were thriving, they needed more forces if they wanted to fight a drawn-out
war.

Although Heaven Wing was a king, and each of the Arthia members were strong, it
wasn’t enough to surpass White Dragon and the Elohim, who had a solid foundation
with all their skilled players. Not only that, there was a huge difference in numbers.

The forces believed that it would be hard for Heaven Wing and Arthia to emerge
victorious from the war, but they might be able to shake the foundation. They stood a
chance of gaining something from the war, and that greed drew them here, even
though they said they had come because of their past friendship.

However, they couldn’t be expected to stand by Arthia before ironing out a deal. They
tried to leave since they had nothing to gain from antagonizing the Elohim and the
Devil Army.

“Where do you think you’re going?” But Bayluk smiled coldly, and the soldiers with
him raised a wall of shields, extending their spears between the gaps like a
porcupine’s spines. The clans couldn’t get past them.
The Infallible Corps Soldiers, or the Infallible Soldiers for short, were a famed group
of elite soldiers of the Elohim. They were separated at birth from their parents to
receive military training and they only lived to ensure the Elohim’s prosperity. They
were feared by many since they were skilled in all aspects of combat: magic,
horsemanship, swordsmanship, spearmanship, archery, and defensive formations.

Bayluk had already been given the title of Dictator by the Elder Assembly—the first
outsider to ever receive it—and he’d also been made a general with all the power
that came with the position. The Elder Assembly had given up on having a balance of
power and bestowed everything on him. Because of this, the Infallible Soldiers, who
lived to follow the commands of their superiors, listened to him without any
question. What was scary was that Bayluk didn’t seem to have any of the fighting
spirit that soldiers had.

“We’re still not on Arthia’s side. Please let us go on our way.” A man stepped up with
a stiff face.

“You are…?”

“Hanatan, leader of a small clan called Iron Throne.”

“Blade Master. I’ve heard about you.” Iron Throne was a clan of soldiers famous for
starting out as mercenaries. However, they switched paths because their goals didn’t
align with those of Iron Lion. Hanatan was known for his swordsmanship skills,
which were on par with Iron Lion’s. Even though he wasn’t a king yet, he was only a
step away.

Relief flashed on the faces of the players. They had been wondering how to they
would get past the Infallible Soldiers. They wouldn’t try to stop someone like
Hanatan since they probably wanted to avoid any unnecessary fights. It seemed all
they had to do was follow Iron Throne.

However, Bayluk cocked his head in an indifferent manner. “And?”

Hanatan’s face hardened. “We should both avoid unnecessary confrontations…”

“Seems like you’re mistaken about something.” Bayluk raised the corners of his
mouth. “There’s no such thing as an unnecessary confrontation. Everything related
to Arthia will be destroyed. Clans working with them, and even those who even
thought of allying with them… everyone is going to be eliminated. This is the
decision made by the Elder Assembly, and it is the Elohim’s goal.”

Everyone was shocked to find out that just by appearing, they were already
considered enemies.

“And the Devil Army is with us on this decision,” Bayluk confirmed.

The clans were forced to stand in battle formation, their expressions wary. The
players of Iron Throne gathered around Hanatan to protect him. Hanatan glared at
Bayluk from behind them. “You’ll regret this.”

“Regret?” Bayluk chuckled. “Don’t be silly. I’m already finished with you. You’re the
one who should be full of regret.” He flicked his finger.

“Urk!” Suddenly, Hanatan’s eyes widened and he began to thrash around, holding his
neck. He couldn’t breathe, as though he were being strangled. Foam poured out of his
mouth.

“Master? Master!”

“What’s the matter?!”

The Iron Throne players grabbed Hanatan in surprise. A few quickly gave him
healing potions, but they weren’t of any help. Bayluk had poisoned him without
anyone even noticing.

Whoosh. Green mist began to spread from Bayluk, full of an acidic poison. Everything
it came into contact with began to sizzle and melt.

“P-Poison Fog!”

“Shit! Get away!”

〈Poison Fog〉

Bayluk had activated his greatest skill, which had allowed him to become the
greatest alchemist and poisoner. It was a cursed skill that could take thousands of
lives in an instant. With pale faces, players began to retreat as Bayluk smiled cruelly
at them. “Die, ghosts of the past.”’
As soon as the Poison Fog spread over the players’ heads and the Infallible Corps
Soldiers and the Devil Army got ready to advance, Kahn stepped forward. The blood
that dripped from his left palm expanded and created a red fog that countered the
poison.

It was an art that combined his skill Blood Stream, and Hwak and Hye of the Seventy-
Two Bian. The two forces, poison and blood, began to struggle against each other.

“I knew you’d show up, Blood Sword. You’ll be enough of an amusement until Jeong-
woo arrives.” As Bayluk moved with a cold smile to attack Kahn, intense fire poured
from the sky. Boom! The Fire Lightning not only split through the Poison Fog, it also
burned everything in its path.

“Cain!”

Amid the thick smoke and the smell of burning, Yeon-woo appeared, dashing
towards Bayluk with a speed that Bayluk could never hope to match. He was taken
aback and tried to step back, but Vigrid was already slashing through his body.

Yeon-woo was sure Bayluk wouldn’t be able to avoid the attack. It was the same
move that had injured the Martial King’s Nascent Soul Body.

At that moment, something suddenly popped up in front of Bayluk and repelled

Yeon-woo’s attack. He had used his full strength for the strike, but the power that
deflected it was as strong as his. Yeon-woo frowned, flapping his Fire Wings. He
caught his balance and landed gently on the ground.

“Whew! That was close.” Bayluk smiled wryly and sighed in relief.

Yeon-woo’s eyes were not focused on the detestable Bayluk, but instead, trained on
the person who had blocked his attack. The person’s face was covered by a hood and
a cloak, but Yeon-woo could see white wings underneath the cloak that looked
extremely familiar. ‘No way.’ Several thoughts quickly flashed through his head, but
he suppressed his rising anxiety and glared at Bayluk. “Who is that?”

“Oh, this? Haha! Actually, it’s my present.” Bayluk laughed, holding the cloak of the
mysterious figure. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen it, so I wanted to surprise you.”

As soon as Bayluk pulled the cloak back, Yeon-woo’s eyes filled with shock, then rage.
“Bayluk!”
Jeong-woo was standing there with an expressionless face with his white wings,
silver armor, and a shining sword held tightly in his hand.
Even though Yeon-woo had painstakingly searched the Bayluk’s lab on the twenty-
eighth floor and scanned through the research notes and experiments, he had no
way to truly understand what Bayluk had been doing. All he could guess was that the
research was wide and intensive, and it was probably related to the Divine Human he
was obsessed with.

Yeon-woo also assumed the poison that afflicted Hanryeong was one of the
discoveries Bayluk had made during his research. Brahm was still analyzing the
poison, but he’d already managed to discover something. “It seems like this is a type
of Spirit Powder Poison.”

Spirit Powder Poison wasn’t composed of physical ingredients but spiritual ones.
Most alchemists didn’t know how to handle spiritual matter since you had to be a
master of alchemy to even think of working with it. If someone used spiritual matter
as part of a poison, it meant that their understanding was extremely high.

It was difficult to make and handle Spirit Powder Poison, and even Brahm, whose
knowledge surpassed the Tower’s accumulated history, didn’t have a strong grasp on
the spirit world. He was curious how Bayluk managed to attain the knowledge to use
Spirit Powder Poison.

“The Spirit Powder Poison is most likely a by-product of his experiments. What kind
of research was he doing? It’s clear that he was trying to do something with souls.
From his notes, I’m guessing that it’s related to connecting human bodies. I think…
he was trying to create a homunculus.”

Homunculi were artificial intelligent beings made by alchemists. Brahm had

managed to create a partial one for himself, but he’d never been able to complete it.
His homunculus was little more than a shell stuffed with his soul thanks to the Black
King’s power.

‘But Bayluk successfully created a homunculus? Bayluk?’ Bayluk was indeed an

alchemist, but it was hard to imagine he had that much knowledge. How did he know
things that even Brahm didn’t?

Yeon-woo wanted to deny it, but his logic and keen senses told him the homunculus
protecting Bayluk was Jeong-woo. He could tell from the expressionless face that it
was a combat machine without any emotions or reason, but because it had been
created from Jeong-woo, he couldn’t just destroy it. However, Yeon-woo felt the
question he’d been wondering for a long time had finally been answered. “So this is
why you betrayed Arthia?”

“All traitors have reasons like this. Out of all the people I’ve met, no one was as close
to being a Divine Human as you.”

Bayluk’s shameless attitude made a heat wave filled with murderous intent whirl
around Yeon-woo. Bayluk had been searching for materials to achieve his dream of
completing a Divine Human, and after observing for a long time, he realized that he
wouldn’t be able to find a better one than Jeong-woo.

He had betrayed Arthia to gain Jeong-woo’s DNA and gather his genetic and spiritual
information. Since the wall around Jeong-woo had been too strong, Bayluk had
worked for a long time to crack it. As he regularly fed Jeong-woo Red Lotus Eye, he
also manipulated Valdebich, who was pretty much Jeong-woo’s bodyguard, into
leaving, and leaked information about Arthia to their enemies to ensure that Arthia
would fall.

He had steadily pushed Arthia into destruction, and in the end, Jeong-woo had fallen
as well. Small acts caused a snowball effect.

Whoosh! When Yeon-woo realized the reason behind the tragedies of the past, the
fire around him grew more intense, completely overwhelming their surroundings.
All the players frantically retreated, leaving Bayluk standing on his own.

The heat Yeon-woo exuded couldn’t touch him since his homunculus blocked it. It
unfurled its wings, which touched the ground. Light fell from the sky and pushed
away the heat.

“That stings.” Bayluk rubbed a small burn from the fire on his face. “What happened
to you? It’s true that several years have passed, but how can someone change so
much? It’s not just your personality—your traits, skill, graces, blessings, and all the
information about you has changed. But from your biophysical information, you’re
the same person.” Bayluk was perplexed and couldn’t conceal his academic curiosity.
He looked at Yeon-woo with a cold laugh. “Since we’re here now, should I tell you
more?”

His eyes flashed. “My initial plan was to catch you alive, but to my surprise, it failed. I
never imagined you’d still be so powerful after ingesting all that Red Lotus Eye
poison. I was shocked. I didn’t know you could withstand so much. According to my
calculations, I gave you enough poison to drop a dragon.”

Yeon-woo didn’t want to listen to his jabbering anymore. He felt like his ears would
rot off if he did.

“But thanks to that, I’m sure that no better material than you exists, nor will there
ever be another one like you in the future!”

When Yeon-woo saw the mania growing in Bayluk’s eyes, he stepped on Blink and
instantly appeared behind Bayluk. Bayluk was only outstanding as a toxicologist and
alchemist; his physical skills were the same as any other normal player, and his
reactions were slow.

The homunculus quickly turned its body to protect Bayluk and swung down its white
blade, which clashed with Vigrid. Clang! The clear sound rang out, causing a great
wave of pressure that crushed the ground they stood on. Heat began to rise again.

The business district, the largest section of the Outer District, was reduced to two-
thirds of its original size with a single blow.

“This won’t be easy. You’re facing something I created using data from your peak as
Heaven Wing.”

Yeon-woo moved again to chase after the chattering Bayluk, but the homunculus also
moved with him, deflecting his attacks. Clang, clang, clang. Boom! Broken aura
sparked around them, and the fire created craters on the ground. Yeon-woo and the
homunculus were equal matches.

“It’s not just the physical information. The blessings, powers, graces, and skills…
wasn’t able to copy everything, but the level isn’t embarrassing. I think I got seventy
to eighty percent? The Elohim were quite helpful in this matter.”

Even in the hellish atmosphere, Bayluk didn’t lose his cool as the air around him
sizzled. “Essentially—" Crack. “You’re facing your past self.”

Rumble! After another great explosion that left smoke and dust spinning around
them, Yeon-woo wet his lips, thinking of a way to eliminate Bayluk. ‘Shanon.
Hanryeong.’

「Good, I was getting pretty annoyed because he kept on blabbering so loudly.」

「I shall do whatever it takes to cut his throat.」

Swish. At his order, his shadow stretched on the ground and shot up to the sky to
capture the retreating Bayluk. The homunculus quickly tried to chase after them, but
Yeon-woo twisted to stop him. However, even though Yeon-woo’s shadow was
reaching out after him like a tentacle, Bayluk didn’t seem flustered at all. He laughed,
as though he were enjoying the whole thing. “Since I managed to create this, do you
think I would have stopped at only one?”As soon as he finished, Bayluk’s
surroundings shook, and two rays of light appeared, blocking the shadows instantly.

Clang. The shadows turned into Hanryeong and Shanon, whose Inferno Sights
widened at the sight of two more homunculi with the same face and abilities as the
one fighting Yeon-woo.

「What is this…!」

「Those crazy bastards!」

It was only then that Yeon-woo realized how unforgivable Bayluk and the Elohim’s
ruthlessness was. Their plans to restore the ancient species through their obsessive
experiments were so insane that words failed him. However, there was something he
didn’t understand: if Bayluk and the Elohim had the ability to create more than one
homunculus of a high ranker, why didn’t they just steal the DNA of high rankers and
kings to create an army of homunculi? If they’d done so, the Elohim would’ve been
controlling the Tower by now. But why hadn’t they been able to do that?

Questions led to more questions, but Yeon-woo couldn’t regain his composure as he
faced his brother’s homunculus.

[You have been afflicted with the status ‘Agitation’.]

[The trait ‘Cold-blooded’ has failed.]

[The trait ‘Cold-blooded’ has failed.]

Urrrng. Space continued to rumble and homunculi that looked like Jeong-woo
continued to appear. Four, five, six… by the time he counted nine, Yeon-woo
completely lost all ability to think logically. “Bayluk!”

[5th-Step Dragon Body Awakening]

[All powers have been released.]

Crack. Dragon scales appeared on his skin. The scales were still with fury and
emanated a dense heat. All the powers connected to his Channels began to
strengthen.

[Heaven Bracket - Lightning Strike]

[Wave of Fire]

[Black Gubitara]

As soon as he brought Vigrid down, there was a loud crackle and Fire Lightning
rained down. Boom! The fiery lightning spread through the sky in a complex pattern
like a spiderweb. The sight was overwhelming. The fire was aiming for the
homunculi as the Draconic Divine Eyes combined with Fiery Golden Eyes searched
for their imperfections. However, the homunculi weren’t completely vulnerable.

“Expand.”

〈Spirit Powder Poison Wings〉

〈Spirit Powder Poison Wings〉

At Bayluk’s command, wings similar to Sky Wings grew out of the backs of the
homunculi, unrolling ominously. The bright white wings were filled with various
types of poison that squeezed Jeong-woo’s genetic information out and drained his
lifespan to increase all possibilities.
Although the wings were below the level of Sky Wings, they were destructive
because they were using up all of Jeong-woo’s potential. Since there were nine
homunculi, the light they radiation was bright enough to blind people.

Yeon-woo was even more enraged. Bayluk was treating his brother’s homunculi as
nothing more than disposable objects, forcing them to use up their already short
lifespans. Whoosh.

〈Wave of Spirit Powder Poison〉

The homunculi gathered poison in their hands as though it were Wave of Light and
sent out a poisonous explosion that melted half of the Outer District. However,
something blocked the Wave of Spirit Powder Poison, preventing it from spreading
farther. Yeon-woo added more firepower to Wave of Fire, which shot up to the sky to
create a column of fire that swept the poison aside.

Roar. When the fire settled down, four of the homunculi were completely swept
away, and two could barely stop Yeon-woo.

The rest of the homunculi protected Bayluk and tried to take him away from the
battlefield. For the first time, Bayluk’s relaxed expression was mixed with surprise
and annoyance. “He was already so monstrous, but he’s grown even worse. Even
though the homunculi have been made with the Crawling Chaos’ Gray Fragments,
they were defeated so easily.”

The ancient wisdom of the Elohim, Bayluk’s experience, and the items the Crawling
Chaos gave him due to their contract had created a more profound system of
knowledge than the Emerald Tablet. The Elohim had use up their entire resources on
these treasures and half of them had been blown away by a single strike.

“Is it that difficult to deal with him now? I must add more to the collection.” Bayluk
muttered to himself and vanished within some energy that had been set up before
Yeon-woo’s next attack could reach him. He disappeared with all of the Infallible
Soldiers as though they had cut space itself, and his right arm and two of the
homunculi’s severed heads fell powerlessly to the ground.

Thud.
[Agares looks down at the lower world with incredulous eyes.]

[Agares expresses violent anger.]

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: These crazy bastards… they dared touch what’s mine and committed an
atrocious act!]

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: I didn’t know anything about this since even someone like me can’t watch
over all of the lower world. However, I can neither forgive nor accept this. I will never
forgive them.]

[Agares’ fury is announced to the heavenly world.]

[At Agares’ fervent request, <L’Infernal> enters a vote about this issue.]

[Most demons reject interfering with this issue of the lower world.]

[Agares’ furious gaze is directed at them.]

[The lower demons are horrified.]

[Most of the demons have changed their opinions.]

[The vote is conducted again.]

[With the exception of one vote, all votes have changed to ‘affirmative’.]

[The demonic society <L’Infernal> has expressed their enmity towards the clan
‘Elohim’.]
[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Until this business is finished, our blessings will follow you.]

[The demonic society <L’Infernal> has given you its blessings and graces.]

[As long as Arthia is hostile to <Elohim>, these blessings and graces won’t disappear.
They will continue to follow you.]

Agares were furious by the creation of Jeong-woo’s homunculi. The injuries he’d
sustained from Hermes and Athena made him lose a significant amount of strength.
He was despised even within L’Infernal, but he still had power and influence fit for
the position of Grand Demon Duke of the East. When he was truly angered, all of
L’Infernal changed their minds to agree with him, shaking with fear.

Of course, there were limits to his interference in L’Infernal because of the laws of
causality, but even a small difference could lead to great change. The Elohim were hit
with a bolt from the blue. Yeon-woo put the series of messages behind him and
clenched his fists. ‘It’s a relief I didn’t bring the pocket watch.

The burnt remains of the Homunculi lay around him. They were loyal combat
machines, and Yeon-woo gritted his teeth even harder and stepped on them with all
his might. They scattered into the air as black ash with a crumbling sound.

He had only hesitated at the start before fighting the homunculi that looked like his
brother. It hadn’t been too hard afterwards. Even if they had his brother’s face, they
were merely clones made from his brother’s data. They weren’t really him.

And so, it wasn’t that hard to deal with the homunculi that remained in order help
Bayluk escape. He even captured them alive for Brahm to analyze. However, the
wrath that burned in a corner of his mind didn’t stop. ‘Bayluk, Elohim… you don’t
change at all.’ Yeon-woo gritted his teeth. His eyes flashed with anger. ‘Alright. If
that’s how you’re going to come out, I’ll have to do the same.’

***

Yeon-woo greeted Creutz and Heidi half-heartedly and immediately headed up to

Laputa. The Arthia members, the Illusion Knightage, and the Children of the Forest
followed him without any hesitation, thanks to the stairs that descended to the
ground.
The Iron Throne and Infinite End had become the odd ones out. Their plans to
negotiate with Heaven Wing as equals and take advantage of his need was ruined
after the Elohim and the Devil Army appeared. Furthermore, they had been shocked
by the display of Yeon-woo’s martial arts. The way he had dealt with his homunculi
demonstrated that he’d grown stronger than his past peak.

The exploding fire that burned nearly all of the Outer District still wavered in front of
their eyes. None of the players naively believed they’d be able to dictate favorable
terms anymore. They were already afraid, so what grounds did they have to
negotiate? All that remained was a bit of pride. If they followed the Illusion
Knightage and Children of the Forest like this, it meant they would serve Arthia
unconditionally. They would be little more than errand boys, unable to gain anything.

Just then, Hanatan, exhausted from the poison Bayluk left behind, stood up with his
teeth clenched. “We… will go up.” He was barely conscious after being suffocated by
the poison, and only survived thanks to the antidote Brahm had created and Yeon-
woo had given him. Although he looked fatigued and lost much of his strength, his
eyes were glowing more fiercely than ever. His close call made his resentment and
rage blaze. It was the same for the Iron Throne members that followed him.

They might once have been a mercenary guild motivated by greed, but they lived
with a sense of honor and pride in themselves. However, Bayluk and the Elohim had
stepped all over it. “We must express gratitude for our savior, and until this
humiliation is repaid, Iron Throne and I cannot live under the same sky as the
Elohim. Let’s go.” Hanatan shouted through gritted teeth and began to climb the
stairs with his clan members.

“Alright… let’s do it.”

“We’ve come to atone for the past anyway. We can’t go back and still consider
ourselves humans.”

Groups that had received help from Heaven Wing and Arthia in the past and hadn’t
been able to repay the kindness stood up with determination after Hanatan’s speech
about gratitude. The hope that Heaven Wing wouldn’t fall again like he’d done in the
past made their footsteps light.

As they climbed the stairs one by one, the other clans soon followed, glancing at each
other. Many of them had passion in their eyes. There were also followers who
believed they’d be able to see something great if they climbed the Tower with Yeon-
woo.

“What a lot.” Yeon-woo was watching the scene on a screen in the control room. He
had sent Laputa over the Outer District to create a division between his allies and
enemies and win over those who came as friends. It had been a success.

『They’re not simple clones. As you suspected, they’re homunculi, although it’s more
appropriate to call them combat machines created with an abundance of data.』

Yeon-woo was still brimming with anger at the unexpected variable when Brahm
finished reporting his finding. 『There’s a processing system that makes them
faithful to the person designated as their master. The algorithm is so complicated
that it’ll take some time to analyze it closely. Where did he find something like this?
』

“Do you think it’s possible to hack it?”

『I’ll try it, but… 』

“I shouldn’t be too hopeful.”

『The formula is too complicated. It’s not a system that’s been used in the Tower. Its
foundations are on a different level from what we have here. The Elohim probably
doesn’t understand this either. It’s quite advanced. It’s outstanding in all fields of
magic. To completely comprehend it will require a power that can back it up.』
Brahm stopped here, but Yeon-woo understood what he meant. Brahm lacked the
divinity.

Hanryeong had already regained his strength as the Saber God and was creating new
peaks that surpassed his previous level, but Brahm couldn’t even use ten percent of
his original strength. He had once been one of the greatest gods in the godly society
Deva, with nearly omnipotent abilities. If he had his original strength, he would have
found it a piece of cake to get through the homunculi’s defenses.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. But please continue to look into it.” Yeon-woo
wondered how Bayluk possessed knowledge that even Brahm didn’t have, but he
had no way of finding out at the moment, so he had to leave it all to Brahm.
「Alright. I shall give it a… 』

「Master… I… have… something… to report… 」Just then Boo popped into their
connection. He usually stood in the back quietly and only spoke when necessary, so
Yeon-woo’s and Brahm’s attention turned to him immediately.

「This system… is… similar… to the… system… used… in… the Wood of… N’gai… 」

“Wood of N’gai?”

『What? Is that true?』

Yeon-woo cocked his head at the unfamiliar name, but Brahm seemed surprised. “Do
you know what that is, sir?”

『Of course. How could I not? That place is… 』 Brahm paused at first before
continuing with a despondent sigh. 『It’s one of the few observed… otherworld
locations.』

Yeon-woo felt like he’d been splashed with cold water. Brahm and the gods and
demons of the ninety-eighth floor deemed only the Outer Gods and their domains
otherworldly.

『Of those, the Wood of N’gai is under the Crawling Chaos’ control, is it not?』

「That is… so.」

‘The Crawling Chaos again?’

From Boo/Faust to Kalatus, and now to Bayluk—the Crawling Chaos’ influence was
all around him.

「Yes… his system… is… similar… to… the… formation… of… the… Emerald Tablet…
」

『Since you’ve made a contract with the Crawling Chaos in your past life through
Mephistopheles… it must not be too difficult to recognize him. Huhu! I believed it
wouldn’t be easy for an otherworld god to extend their influence within the Tower… I
suppose I was wrong.』 Brahm muttered dispiritedly, and continued in a solemn
voice. 『Since Boo has some knowledge, I’ll try it. If I succeed in hacking it, it’ll be of
great help to Jeong-woo.』

“Thank you.”

『You’re doing all the hard work. I should be saying that to you.』 Brahm cut off his
communication with that.

Yeon-woo rubbed his tired eyes with his index fingers, his head spinning. If Bayluk
had made some kind of contract like Boo did in his past life and used that knowledge
to create the homunculi, then everything made sense, from his lab on the twenty-
eighth floor and the unusual Spirit Powder Poison to the complicated magic system
that even Brahm couldn’t understand. ‘Do I have to retrace his steps after this is
over?’

He had thought of investigating the Crawling Chaos’ path to recover Boo’s memories,
but if the being was connected so closely to him like this, then he had to find him.
More than anything, he had a feeling that whatever the Crawling Chaos was
attempting in the Tower was related to his own goals.

Just when Yeon-woo settled down to organize his thoughts, another screen opened
and Edora appeared. 『Oraboni.』

It was time to come out. Many players were waiting for him in the hall. He had
intentionally left them alone, but any further delay would lead to resentment. Yeon-
woo pushed himself up with the armrests and slowly stood up. He didn’t know what
was going on between Bayluk and the Crawling Chaos, but it wasn’t urgent. It didn’t
matter what power Bayluk possessed, Yeon-woo had to take care of him anyway.

In fact, it was easier now that the Elohim and the Devil Army were working together
since he could attack them together. They had already engaged in the first skirmish.
‘It’s my turn to attack first this time.’

“Open portal.” Yeon-woo headed for the hall through the portal that appeared under
his feet.

***

Many clans and parties gathered in the elegant grand hall. Unlike the Arthia
members, the Illusion Knightage, and Children of the Forest, the other players
seemed nervous. They were most likely overwhelmed by the vastness of the
buildings they’d seen on the way to the hall. Since it had been the base of the last
dragon king, even experienced rankers couldn’t hep being shocked. Also, Laputa was
within Yeon-woo’s sphere of influence, and as soon as they entered, the players were
unknowingly submitting to him. Their shock and nervousness were slowly turning
into fear of Yeon-woo.

When he appeared at a platform above seventy-seven flights of stairs in the center of

the hall, the murmuring stopped. All gazes focused on him. There was a moment of
silence, then Yeon-woo broke it with a thunderous voice that echoed through the hall
like a beast’s roar. “I’ll make it short. From today, I’m going to start a war.”

There had indeed just been a battle, but they were going to war so immediately?
Everyone had a shocked expression. The Arthia members looked at Yeon-woo in
surprise, not expecting that they would move so quickly.

Yeon-woo just continued with a cold attitude. “It’s a war of life and death. I don’t
know how long it’ll last. Right now, I’ll give you your last chance. Those who are
afraid should leave. After this moment, anything other than absolute submission will
be met with death.”

After some silence, Hanatan stepped forward and planted his sword in the ground,
prostrating himself. “I’ll follow any path you walk on, Shadow King.” The clan
members of Iron Throne followed their leader and prostrated as well.

He was the first of many.

“I shall follow the Shadow King.”

“I will follow you.”

“Please lead us as you’ve done in the past, my lord.”

Those who had been acquainted with Heaven Wing in the past bowed, and the other
players all followed, raising their voices.

“Shadow King!”

“Shadow King…!”
“Shadow King! Shadow King!”

The title “Shadow King” became a chant that rang throughout Laputa. With the title
of the King of Shadows or the Shadow Lord, a new king had been born.
“Please… think of our past together and forgive us, Bihee.”

“Please.”

The Spring Queen, Waltz, hardened her expression as she looked at the players
kneeling in front of her. Delusional Ghost Garavito, Chancellor of Blood and Iron
Bismarck, Lionheart Richard, Murderer Twins Jack and Ripper—they had once been
the Eyes of Red Dragon’s Eighty-One Oculus and ruled the Tower. They had once
been Waltz’s trustworthy comrades, and after she took over Red Dragon, she
believed they would become her hands and feet.

They once been so lofty and arrogant, but now, they were pathetically begging for
their lives like defeated soldiers. They had left her and gone over to Black Dragon to
follow Tom, raising their swords against her.

She wanted to sentence them to death immediately and ignore their pleas. But
whether due to the fragility of life or her past relationship with them, her hand didn’t
move. However, Waltz’s face didn’t show any signs of softening.

“Hawk Eye.”

Troy’s shoulders trembled at the sound of her quiet voice.

“As Mother’s Eye, you led the Oculus. Why did you leave me, the legitimate heir, and
serve Tom?”

Troy raised his head to look at Waltz. Sadness flashed in his eyes and a hollow smile
appeared on his lips. “Nothing will change even if I make excuses now, but it’s
because my eyes only followed what was in the distance, and not what was right in
front of me. Please take my foolish eyes, but forgive the rest. The only sin they’ve
committed is trusting my wrong judgment.” Troy pleaded with a sad gaze indicating
at comrades. “As Great Mother did, please embrace your prodigal children with love
and mercy.”
Waltz didn’t reply. Troy didn’t raise his bowing head, as if that was truly his only
desire. Waltz silently looked at him and turned to the others. The rest of the Eyes all
looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

The two who’d supported the Summer Queen for a long time, Old Sword Hanan and
Chancellor of Blood and Iron Bismarck, no longer seemed to have any attachment to
life. They seemed willing to follow in Troy’s footsteps.

However, even though the rest avoided Waltz’s eyes, they peered at Troy with
desperate hope. They seemed to expect that his sacrifice would help them survive.
Waltz couldn’t help smirking. What else could she expect from them? In the end, they
were nothing more than fools that behaved arrogantly because her mother was
behind them.

Garvito, Jack, and the others lifted their head with optimism, mistaking her smirk as
a smile. Waltz raised her fist without hesitation and struck them. All the Eyes
excluding Troy, Hanan, and Bismarck, fell to the ground without their heads.

“Ahhh…!” Troy sighed with despair as he looked at the corpses. His eyes were
shaking.

Waltz scoffed, “Back then and even now, no one’s better than you at knowing how to
switch teams, Hawk Eye.”

The sadness in Troy’s face disappeared and his mouth curved. “You could tell?”

“I prize you for your villainous intelligence. The reason you followed Tom was that
you considered him to be the most like Mother since he ate two of his brothers, no?”

Troy’s smile disappeared and he placed his forehead on the floor. “As I said, I was
blind back then.”

“This can be resolved if your vision has returned. But although I may forgive you
once, I won’t allow a second time.”

“Thank you for your mercy.”

“Hanan, Bismarck.”

Hanan and Bismarck, flustered by Troy’s sudden change, collected their wits and
bowed again, unable to muster up the courage to look at Waltz. They could sense the
Summer Queen’s charisma and spirit that overwhelmed crowds from Waltz. They
realized how wrong their choice had been. Although she lacked age and experience,
Waltz already had the ability to be a king.

Time would naturally fill out the qualities she lacked. When that time came, White
Dragon could call itself the new Red Dragon.

Jnng. Jnng. They realized that an invisible string now connected them to Waltz.

〈Loop of Subordination〉

It was the magic that bound the Summer Queen to the Eighty-One Oculus. In return
for her power, she could take their lives when she saw fit. Now, as Waltz’s
subordinates, they were dogs that barked when commanded.

“As I said, I won’t give second chances. Follow Hawk Eye to get rid of everything Tom
left behind.”

“As you wish.”

“As you wish.”

As Bismarck and Hanan moved with Troy to get rid of the remaining forces, Waltz
wiped the blood from her hand with a handkerchief and turned to a subordinate
standing quietly behind her. “That’s it for now. More importantly, the Elohim and the
Devil Army are officially working together?”

“Yes, I heard so.” Incapable Ruler Warshan quickly looked down to avoid Waltz’s
eyes. Even though he was her ally, he knew that it was dangerous to look into Waltz’s
eye at this moment, especially her left eye.

〈Copycat〉

Waltz’s hidden innate talent analyzed objects or people she saw, and even if she only
encountered them once, she could imitate their actions and habits. The deeper her
understanding of the target, the better she could copy them.

She could assess her enemy’s weaknesses, and she stole the knowledge of her allies
to use for her personal growth. It was the reason she had managed to survive in the
slums filled with malicious people who preyed on young and vulnerable girls like
Waltz had been.

However, Waltz had used her talent to knock down anyone who tried to do
something to her and struggled to survive. It was a dirty and ugly world, but the
happy memories her parents left behind from her younger days held her up. Her goal
to return to One-horned tribe and make them pay continued to push her forward.

The Summer Queen had observed her and saw that Waltz’s talent and potential were
limitless. She took Waltz in as her daughter and helped her potential grow to its
fullest, adding her blood to the One-horned tribe’s blood.

Thanks to her, Waltz was able to grow as the eldest of the Nine Dragon Sons,
possessing a Dragon Body that combined with the body of a One-horned tribe
member. After succeeding with the sixth step of the Dragon Body awakening, she
attained a new ability that surpassed her talent.

〈Dragon Saint’s Left-Eye〉

The single-digit skill was Waltz’s secret unique skill that was created from combining
Draconic Eyes and Copycat, and it worked on both the living and the dead. With it,
Waltz could order the clan to close their floors off to rest and step away from the
battlefield while secretly invading the territories of Green Dragon and Black Dragon.

Unlike White Dragon, who controlled floors, the Elohim, the Devil Army, and Blood
Land were based in Outer Spaces. She predicted that if Arthia declared war, they’d
fight the other three clans first. No matter how skilled Heaven Wing was, she didn’t
think a rookie ranker who just cleared the fiftieth floor would be able to get to the
seventy-sixth floor that quickly.

Her prediction had been accurate. Blood Land fell, and the Elohim sustained a lot of
damage. On the other hand, White Dragon didn’t receive any additional damage. Now
that the angered Elohim decided to work with their enemy, the Devil Army, all Waltz
had to do was watch them fight from the seventy-sixth floor. She could take her time
and play them against each other.

In the meantime, she gathered her forces as much as she could. She tried to reunite
the divided Red Dragon. Since the leaders of the splinter clans were gone, she
believed that it would be easy to take them back. She attacked Black Dragon first,
and it wasn’t hard to get them under her control since they were already fighting
among themselves. She was now dealing with the results.

Also, Waltz didn’t hesitate when it came to purging people. She cut off anyone who
seemed unnecessary or a potential source of trouble. She only picked the ones who
could be of help to her—which was why she had chosen Troy, Hanan, and Bismarck.

Troy was a villain, but he knew to stand on the winning side, and the other two were
strong in martial arts, so it was worth taking them in. The others were people who
would stab her in the back the first chance they got, so she eliminated them easily.

The Dragon Saint’s Left Eye closely examined the corpses of the dead to retrieve any
powers the Summer Queen had shared with them. Clack, clack. The sound of pieces
joining together in heart made her soul shake. Urrrng. ‘Fifteen percent left until the
next awakening.’ Waltz clenched her fist and murmured to herself.

The unification of Red Dragon was important, but what she needed most was to
complete the seventh step of the awakening. ‘If I complete the seventh step, not only
will I gain Draconic language, I can polymorph into a dragon. I need these in order to
defeat him.’ Waltz hadn’t forgotten her fight with Yeon-woo back in the Dragon
Labyrinth. Although she was in a disadvantageous situation and most of her powers
had been sealed, she couldn’t stand the fact that she had needed to run away after
using her secret weapon.

“Escape” was a word that only her younger, unluckier self knew. It was frustrating
that Yeon-woo was only at the fifth step, but he was already on the same level as she
was. He probably had some kind of trick up his sleeve, and if he advanced to the sixth
step, she would most definitely lose. There was only one option left to her: she had to
collect the scattered pieces of her mother, and used them to awaken into a true
dragon. She would have the absolute strength and powers the Summer Queen had.

Her siblings, who had the bigger pieces, had been killed someplace else, so it was
hard to collect them, but she gathered the pieces one by one, the puzzle was nearly
complete. Even though she might not restore all her mother’s powers, she thought
she could reclaim at least seventy percent.

“Is it just Green Dragon that’s left now? Let’s go.” While Heaven Wing and Arthia
were busy with the war with the Elohim and the Devil Army, she would take over
Green Dragon, who had been defeated by the Fantasy Regiment. Then, she’d be able
to fulfill her mother’s wish and finish the seventh step of the awakening. ‘Heaven
Wing… no, Hoarder. Create as much havoc as you want just a little longer. I’ll take
your head soon.’ Waltz led White Dragon through the portal to Green Dragon’s
territory.

***

Boom. Boom. Crack! Peals of the Great, the Outer Space where the Elohim sheltered,
shook from the relentless dimensional interference to its protective barrier. All the
clan members of the Elohim bustled around to defend it when they saw the sky
cleaving.

“I-it’s about to fall! Support the barrier!”

“Arthia is attempting to invade!”

“Everyone, rally the defenses!”

Arthia’s official raid had begun.

『Dreams… fade away.』 A black dragon appeared in the sky before vanishing
among the dark clouds.

「Lowly… beings… 」 Boo’s Inferno Sight appeared behind the floating castle. Far
below, he could see countless bugs screaming at him with their swords raised. It was
unacceptable that insects would reject his king, who was now starting to become a
true Lord. 「Open.」

He opened dungeon portals along the illusory world that Nemesis was attempting to
infringe. Innumerable undead poured from the sky like rain on the Elohim’s
headquarters.

Thanks to Hanryeong’s attack a few days prior, the Elohim’s defenses were at their
maximum, and many layers of barriers were spread out over them.

The outermost barrier had been crushed by the magic power radiated by Laputa, but
there were still many barriers to pierce through. As a result, Boo set-up the dungeon
portals within the barrier in the sky. The undead fell to the ground without any
protective equipment, thrashing in the air as though they were sinking in water, their
bodies exploding on the protective dome, leaving bloody clumps of flesh. Pewk. Thud.

Zombies and ghouls left green bloodstains, and broken limbs fell like snow as bones
rolled down.

“What is he doing?”

“Ha! Looks like they’re having trouble getting in because of the godly graces we have.
We were surprised for nothing.” The Elohim players smirked at the sight. Even
though the attackers were undead, a lot of money had probably gone into supporting
them. When the Elohim saw how they couldn’t even enter the barrier, they realized
the advantages they were enjoying.
The Elohim received blessings and graces from many gods due to their birth. The
barrier that protected their Outer Space had multiple blessings cast on it by gods. In
particular, the great barrier set-up in the core possessed the folklore of many
progenitors and ancient gods. It wasn’t something a mere mortal could get through.
This was common knowledge that all the chosen people of Elohim had.

The sudden appearance of Laputa had caught them off guard and initially shocked
them because of the trauma of the attack on the Elder Assembly. However, the
defenses held, which was what was supposed to happen anyway. The attack on the
Elder Assembly was an outlier that occurred because their enemies had managed to
learn the coordinates from the deceased Magnus through unscrupulous means. Now
that the coordinates were different, their enemies wouldn’t be able to pull off the
same trick again.

“Everyone, get to your positions! The counterattack will begin soon!” The players
regained their composure and moved to their posts, their heads filled with one thing:
to bring down the arrogant Arthia through any means.

“You’ll learn soon enough who you’re attacking. You’ve chosen to walk to a hell you
should have avoided.” Cheonho Ari, who was the defensive commander of Peals of
the Great, had bloodshot eyes. He had seen his respected superiors killed one by one
during the attack on the Elder Assembly, and he was raging with the desire for
payback. Arthia? Heaven Wing? Their wings had already been clipped in the past. No
matter how hard they tried to regrow them, it would be impossible for them to fly in
the sky again.

To him, the sight of the undead unable to breach the barrier was proof of that. Thud.
The enemies were stupid, so they only had a limited variety of attacks. That was the
difference between the chosen people and the morons. They repeated the same
actions over and over again, not realizing how futile it was. He could only laugh.

Thud thud. The longer he watched, the more he chuckled hollowly. Thud!

“What’s… that?” He unconsciously stiffened, feeling a strange sense of threat that he

couldn’t place. Something was amiss. Arthia had already used thousands of the
undead, at the very least. But it seemed like the flow of undead hadn’t stopped—it
even looked like it was increasing.

The crushed bodies only added to the barrier until the dome was completely
covered, blocking out all light. The occasional crunch and faint rumbles were the
only indicators that the undead attack was still ongoing. Even if they were idiots,
they should have realized that this method of breaching the barrier was pointless by
now. It seemed impossible that they could afford to waste so many resources.
However, they didn’t show any signs of stopping.

Suddenly, an ominous thought flashed through his head. “Everyone, repair the bar—
!” Sss. Before he could finish, they could hear something burn across the sky.

Crack. A massive fissure appeared in the dome, splitting through the center and
spreading out like a web. The weight of the undead was too much, and the barrier
couldn’t take it.

Also, the undead exuded the strong toxin of decaying bodies. It had an intense
toxicity and acidity—bolstered by Boo’s research and Yeon-woo’s skill, Poison
Blood—that began to melt the barrier. The dangerous beings were being used to
exhaust the Elohim, and even their sturdy barrier strengthened by blessings and
graces couldn’t withstand it. It came crashing down. Crack!

Thud thud thud. The sight of the pieces of the undead falling through the cracks was
so gruesome that it would make anyone with a weak stomach faint. And
accompanied by the pungent smell and poison, the flood of the undead became a
calamity for the Elohim.

“Wh-what is this?!”

“Aaaack!”

“My eyes! My eyes!”

“My arm! Aack! Healer! Where’s the healer! Aaaack!”

The Elohim players who had grown complacent were swept away by the toxins of
the decaying bodies and Poison Blood. They began to scream. The priests and
pontifices bustled around, casting purification magic, but the horrible, rotting poison
was too much.

The pieces of the undead melted everything it touched. Players and rankers, as well
as buildings and equipment, all melted at a quick pace. The castle was weakened,
and the roofs collapsed. The headquarters of the Elohim were filled with the undead.
「Awaken.」 At Boo’s command, demonic energy wafted up between the pieces of
the undead and connected to each other.

〈Fatality Exodus〉

It was a type of black magic that tied the fallen souls together as one and given new,
deadly life. Boo had learned this skill after being promoted to an Elder Lich. Crack,
crack. The undead began to rise, their bodies pieced together with random parts, and
roared.

Some of the undead were dozens of meters tall. Giant Ghouls, Big Zombies, Skeleton
Kings, and other superior-ranked undead moved forward to turn living beings into
hideous creatures like themselves. Boom, boom, boom.

“Block them! Block!” Cheonho Ari screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to stop
Fatality Undead. But when he saw the gigantic shadows that over their heads, his
eyes widened. A greater calamity they couldn’t resist tilted its head back with its
mouth wide open—the Bone Dragon.

The cursed undead created from the Summer Queen’s corpse spewed its Breath at
them. Cheonho Ari’s thoughts immediately froze. Roar!

No player, castle, or building was left behind after the Breath swept past. Only poison
and black haze wavered in the air.

***

「I feel this every time, but our queen’s actions are so violent. And she acts so high
and mighty at all other times.」 As the Fatality Undead covered the ground and the
Bone Dragon spewed Acid Breath from the sky, Shanon shook his head as he
watched the rapidly falling Elohim from the edge of Laputa.

The Bone Dragon was an important tool for Yeon-woo, but after the Summer Queen’s
vestige took over, Yeon-woo hadn’t been able to use it efficiently. Unlike Shanon and
Hanryeong, who were tightly bound to the Black King’s power, she had more
freedom and could easily reject his commands.

However, she wasn’t behaving like she normally did. After announcing her
participation, the Summer Queen rapidly crushed the Elohim.
「Heaven Wing’s clones must’ve been that shocking to her.」 Hanryeong replied in a
relatively calmer manner as he watched the battlefield.

Shanon narrowed his Inferno Sight. 「It’s that right? Our queen… 」

「Don’t finish that sentence. Her ears are already bright red; she might be listening
to this conversation.」

「Hehe. Vieira Dune, Ananta, and the Summer Queen… Heaven Wing, what a ladies’
man, am I right? On the other hand, King Temper is always popular with the guys. I
don’t know how twin brothers can be such polar opposites.」 Shanon grinned,
thinking of Yeon-woo, who was probably in the middle of a bunch of men at the
moment.

Hanryeong slowly began to pull out his swords. 「Always with the gibberish. Let’s
get started, as well.」

「Let’s do it.」 Shanon turned to look at the orderly Dis Pluto standing behind him.
They were all sitting atop Phantom Steeds and Deceased Fliers. 「Alright, let’s all
wreak havoc! Let the party begin!」

「The blessing of death to everyone who falls in love with our lord!」

「The blessing of death!」

「Let’s go!」

With Shanon and Hanryeong at the lead, Dis Pluto descended onto the land of death
with Nemesis’ blessing. Behind them, shadows flickered, and Spirit Guai dispersed.
The other clans under Arthia grew drunk with excitement as they watched.

“Are you gonna let them take everything? Let’s prove ourselves and bring victory to
our lord!”

“We had to live with stopped breaths after the fall of Arthia; this is our chance for
revenge! Brothers, rise!”

Using the Shade Wing given to them by Brahm, they moved speedily and laid traps in
the sky.

“How dare you, lowly scumbags!”

“Gods, please bestow blessings upon me!”

Meanwhile, the members of the Elder Assembly furiously prepared for battle, their
auras mixing and spreading along the ground. They cherished this ancient territory
that had been passed down with the spirit and soul of their ancestors. They couldn’t
allow mongrel riffraff to step foot on their holy land. They stomped on the ground
and soared up to the sky. Boom!

Both sides clashed in mid-air. However, some things began to stand out. Rumble!
Among the fancy Effects, blood-red lightning bolts tore three of the Elders apart and
tossed them to the ground.

“Hahaha! Is there anyone who’ll fight me here?! Is it you? Or you?” Phante smiled
viciously, as he took out his red lightning. The ground shook and the atmosphere
trembled with his laughter. The enemies around him stepped back, overpowered by
his spirit. Phante didn’t bat an eye at them, not caring about small fish.

He only sought the strong. He had begged the Head Elder to teach Blood Lightning
for one reason: to become stronger. He needed to use this uncontrollable,
overflowing strength. Then, he spotted the most powerful player in his vicinity and
instantly speeded towards him. “There you are.”

Boom! His target was the location where all the Elders had gathered. It was the
perfect place for him to go berserk.

In the meantime, Yeon-woo looked down at the battlefield through an omniscient

lens, using the Dragon Root of Laputa linked to the Vision Network. Uballa’s system
was an artificial intelligence with all the knowledge of the Draconic species. It could
support its master by organizing numerous pieces of information. It even had
functions that could analyze and differentiate different threats.

Yeon-woo managed to spot several suspicious locations where the leaders of the
Elohim and the Devil Army were gathered. ‘I don’t need to go easy on them at all.’

He had no intentions of hiding his full power. He was going to crush the Elohim and
the Devil Army with Arthia’s maximum power, anyway. He needed to push them
from the beginning and tighten his grasp on their necks. They wouldn’t know what
struck them.

“Come.” He unfurled Sky Wings, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw 666
messages and a small timer pop up. Crunch.

[Nergal accepts your summons.]

[King of Seven Hells accepts your summons.]

[Osiris accepts your summons.]

[All gods of death are with you.]

[All demons of death are with you.]

[Your divine position ‘Throne of Death’ has awakened.]

Feeling the enhanced strength of the Demonic Divine Draconic Body and the holiness
of the Throne of Death, he brandished Vigrid, which vibrated as if it would break any
moment. Urrrng.

[The power bound to the Throne of Death ‘Hell Tribulation’ is being displayed.]

[The hidden true name of ‘Vigrid-???’ Durendal is released.]

[Folklore: Gust of Wind]

Hellfire plummeted to the ground. Whoosh!

[Dragon Breath]

He only had one target: the Elder Assembly, which was composed of the leaders and
core members of the Elohim.

The Breath of dragons descended over them.

The moment Yeon-woo’s Breath fell from the sky to the ground, the sizzling heat
forced all the players to stop fighting and turned to look at him.

“No!”

“Block him!”

The Elohim players chased after it too late. The Breath was already sweeping
through the Elder Assembly. The Elders had all kinds of barriers protecting them,
and the Elders frantically activated blessings and skills once they sensed the danger.
But these were little more than crumbling sandcastles in the face of the Breath
mixed with the Throne of Death’s holiness.

The power exuded by the Stone of Sin, the stones of Superbia and Gula, was already
too powerful for Yeon-woo to rein in. The explosion didn’t stop there. Rumble. Krrrrr.

The sparks caused consecutive blasts, and the lightning that rose from them
connected to each other, tearing up anything that was left behind. Tornadoes of fire
blazed multiple times, shaking up the Elder Assembly’s building and everything
around it.

The players could barely protect themselves from the aftershocks, staring in
disbelief. Dark clouds stretched up to the sky and bubbling magma flowed like a
river among the burnt rocks. It was already difficult to approach, much less survive.
It was hell.

A building whose history spanned thousands of years collapsed anticlimactically.

“No… way.”

Everyone was shocked, and there was still a heavy silence when Yeon-woo
descended. Swish. Yeon-woo’s face was expressionless as if there wasn’t anything out
of the ordinary. As he flew down, he pulled out the Ruyi Bang pieces. Click. They
gathered as one and turned into a staff, combining with Vigrid.

“Heaven Wing!”

“I’ll kill you!”

The Elders who had barely managed to survive all looked at him with fiery eyes
among the hellish ruins. Half of them had been exposed to the Breath. It crushed
their limbs or burned half of their bodies, but none of them seemed to care. There
was only one thought on their minds: to kill the culprit behind all this, Yeon-woo!

“Gods, ancestors! Please watch over our pitiful selves!” At that shout, the Divine
Factors sealed in their bodies began to awaken. Whoosh!

The Factors trembled turbulently, and their genetic information and quality
transformed at their very foundation. Their human forms collapsed, their muscles
twisting. Each one took on the form of a unique monster.

One turned into a winged lion, another into a griffin, and still another transformed
into a long, limbless creature—a leviathan. These were monsters that had gone
extinct in the Tower, and they could only be found in old legends or folklore. They
were also semi-divine.

〈Forceful release of holy power〉

To join the Elder Assembly, you had to have an abundant amount of divine blood and
Divine Factors. Each of them had some holy power, but it was normally unthinkable
to use it.

Holy power was a divine strength that was meant for immortals, not mortals. If used
wrongly, the balance of the body could be ruined. You could lose your identity and
possibly become a different being, so the Elders didn’t use their holy powers and
only passed them down to their descendants.

They believed if holy power accumulated generation by generation, it would bloom

into a legend, their clan’s longtime mission. Due to this, the power of each family of
Elohim was determined by how much holy power they possessed. The great families,
called the Protogenoi tribe, were held in high regard because they had so much holy
power.
However, what value did families, holy power, and mission have? If the Elohim fell,
there was no point in hoping for the future, and so the Elders put their survival first
and used the powers of their families without regard for preserving their positions.

〈Ancient Species Restoration〉

Their wills hardened after the breakthroughs gained from the Elohim’s mission to
restore the ancient species. The Elders stimulated the Divine Factors stored in their
genes and forced out their divinity so that they would reawaken as ancient species.
Krrrr.

『This is… the power of our ancestors…!』

Their plans were still incomplete, so they couldn’t stay in those forms too long, but
the powers they gained at that moment greatly enhanced their strength.

Whoosh. The intense energies that burst out of the emerging holy power of the semi-
divinities and monsters whirled in Peals of the Great. Players went pale as the
pressure in the atmosphere shot up to an uncomfortable amount.

『With this, that unbeliever will be destroyed!』

The Elders believed this was sufficient to deal with Yeon-woo. No matter how strong
he was, he was only strong for a mortal. Since he hadn’t gone through exuviation or
gained transcendence or divinity, he could never surpass them.

It wasn’t a matter of who was stronger; it was a matter of innate limitations.

Regardless how strong they were, bugs could never surpass humans. They were sure
of their victory.

『We shall teach you the price of invading our holy land!』

『We will be praised by the gods for offering you as sacrifice!』

They ran towards him without any hesitation, teeth bared. The sight of a hundred
semi-divinities running together was a frightening sight. However, they had no idea
of the battlefields Yeon-woo had fought on during his year-long absence.

In Tartarus, Yeon-woo had endured life-or-death battles with countless divinities,

and he had even killed gods. Before he clashed with them, Yeon-woo revealed his full
power. “Underworld Domain Declaration.”

[A new quality is being added to the designated territory ‘Binah.’]

[Underworld has been set.]

[The Throne of Death is being released.]

『What in the world!』

『Impossible! How does a human have the Throne of Death? It’s only allowed to
superior gods and demons…!』

The Elders grew dizzy as they sensed an overwhelming strength that surpassed their
combined power. The Throne of Death! Even gods found it difficult to exert powers
over life and souls. For a mortal to do so was unbelievable. What was more, 666 gods
and demons were cruelly smiling down at them behind Yeon-woo.

It was too late. The Outer Space they thought would protect them forever was
already designated as Yeon-woo’s territory and was filling with the air of death.
Yeon-woo sent holiness and the Stone of Sin’s power to the tip of the Ruyi Bang,
mixing it with Mugong, magic, skills, graces, and blessings before pointing it at them.
It was an attack he discovered after sparring with his teacher, the Martial King.

[Flawless Strike]

“Sweep them away, Ruyi.” Rumble.

***

“Sixty.” The Martial King had said this to Yeon-woo after they finished sparring in the
village. Yeon-woo immediately understood what he meant. It was a score. He would
only get 100 when he managed to catch up to the Martial King.

Yeon-woo had smiled hollowly, thinking he still had a long way to go. Then, he grew
curious about something. The Martial King had had three disciples. Two had been
excommunicated from the tribe, but it didn’t change the fact that they had received
the Martial King’s instruction. The Sword God, who was thought dead, was actually
still alive as Faceless. Yeon-woo had never fought with Nocturn, but it was clear that
he was a hidden master. If he revealed his true strength, Nocturn was possibly the
strongest among them.

Yeon-woo was curious about the Martial King’s assessment of the other two, who
had the same passion as he did to catch up to the Martial King. “Can I ask what score
you gave the other two?”

The chatty Martial King pressed his lips together for the first time. Then, he spoke
with a grin, “Fifty-five and eighty.”

His words were seared in Yeon-woo’s mind because it seemed like he was implying
that Yeon-woo still had a lot to learn. From that moment, Yeon-woo did everything
he could to improve Flawless Strike, practicing Time Difference any chance he could
get. He succeeded in achieving a satisfactory outcome, and it wasn’t simply because
of what the Martial King said. He also sensed and hoped that this would help him
open a new path.

He had surpassed the Sword God with the incomplete Flawless Strike. If he
completed it, he could reach Nocturn’s level or even beyond. ‘Another path will open.’

He’d believed that he couldn’t go past the arhat level, but if he continued to grow, he
would be able to find a new path. Yeon-woo believed Flawless Strike was a chance to
improve and perhaps even reach the goal the One-horned tribe had long been aiming
for. Yin Sword! It was the sword that had never shown itself to the world, unlike
Edora’s Yang Sword.

Krrrr. The Ruyi Bang and Vigrid tore through space violently, ripping it apart. One-
third of the Elders who’d been running at him collapsed to the ground, spurting
blood.

『Kyak!』

『It didn’t even make contact… but how?』

『He divided space with his will? It’s impossible unless one’s reached the peak of
martial arts…!』

Those who didn’t die had burns all over their bodies from the heat of the Aura. Yeon-
woo landed on the ground, holding his spear. “Next.” He directed his Draconic Eyes
and Fiery Golden Eyes at the Elders.

The Elders found themselves frozen, unable to say anything. They remembered what
it felt like to be overwhelmed by the Summer Queen Ismenios when she’d visited the
Elder Assembly in the past. The air and authority that only transcendental species
possessed whirled around Yeon-woo. They were stunned speechless. To the Elders,
divinity was a wall that was impossible to climb. They had many talents because of
their divine blood, but it was also the reason they couldn’t escape the limits of their
status. They realized that they would never surpass Yeon-woo.

His Throne of Death and trait already made him close to being a transcendental
species. The power of the Demonic Divine Draconic Body tightened around their
chests.

“No one?” Yeon-woo lifted the corners of his mouth. “If no one’s up for it, I’ll go first.”
Boom! Yeon-woo kicked off the ground into the sky.

In that instant, space opened, revealing one of Jeong-woo’s homunculi, which

blocked his path.

“Too late.”

By the time Bayluk arrived, half of the Elders were already dead, but the Elders still
seemed to be relieved. However, Yeon-woo was expecting the homunculi to appear,
so he had no hesitation to get rid of it.

He was disgusted at Bayluk for tossing these puppets at him without showing
himself. He’d have to get rid of the Elders first before chasing after him. No matter
where he ran, Yeon-woo would follow him to the ends of hell. He retracted the Ruyi
Bang and hurled it. Boom.

〈Vortex〉

The homunculi were all destroyed by the explosion of the whirlpool of power. “There
you are.” Yeon-woo managed to discover a fading connection to a homunculus with
his Fiery Golden Eyes. He quickly calculated the coordinates with Laputa’s Uballa
system and swung Ruyi Bang in that direction. Crack.

He crushed space, which revealed a research lab with countless glass tubes
containing incomplete prototypes of the ancient species that the Elders had
transformed into: Giants, griffins, leviathans. However, he was riveted by only one
thing: clones that looked like Jeong-woo. They were probably failed prototypes, but
the sight was enough to fan his anger.

“So you came all the way here. How rash. I’m still not finished with the
improvements.” Bayluk stood at the end of a hallway. His face was flushed with
annoyance, but he still had a twisted smile.

Thump. Thump.

Did he awaken the power of the Crawling Chaos? A mysterious, sinister strength was
squirming inside him, and it seemed like his body had already been partially taken
over by it. It was similar to how Laputa had been taken over by the Crawling Chaos.
Yeon-woo could tell that he was in the middle of something.

The moment he stepped inside to kill Bayluk, he felt a familiar gaze—one that he
never wanted to feel again.

“How was your meeting with your old lover? Although it seems she’s not happy
about it.”

[Mother Earth is watching you.]

Vieira Dune’s will was present.

“O-ow…”

“Doyle? Doyle! Are you awake?”

Doyle forced his eyes open despite a head-splitting migraine. He felt as though he
was struggling out of an endless darkness, and he didn’t even know how it was
possible that he was breathing. When his vision cleared, he could see Kahn and
Victoria looking down at him in concern. They were like a brother and a sister-in-law
to him, more of a family than his father. “Where… am I? It doesn’t look like Tartarus.”

The last thing he remembered was the god he served, Persephone, manifesting, and
as she revealed the power of Mother Earth, his magic power had gone wild. Apostles
were like the high priests of their gods. They could never refuse their will, and he’d
been forced to go along with her wishes. It was a painful memory.

From the Heavenly Demon to Mother Earth—why was he always being used by these
divine beings? He felt wronged. It wasn’t like he had chosen to be born this way.
Then, Doyle realized that his body had changed drastically. ‘What? It’s gone?’

He was either always connected to some great spiritual being or wary of interference
from those targeting him. But there wasn’t any of that now. There was nothing. Not a
single being was trying to possess him or interfere in his business. The Heavenly
Demon, Mother Earth, and everything else—it was all gone.

No, there was something. Just one thing that was still weak, but it embraced him
with warmth, like a mother bird protecting its chicks from the cold. It removed the
interference of all other spiritual beings. Although it was like a small spark compared
to the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth, something powerful squirmed inside it.

It was familiar to Doyle. ‘This is… ’ At that moment, the small spark expanded and
blazed. “Cain hyung?”

Kahn nodded solemnly. “That’s right. Cain helped. This is his clan house.”
Only then did Doyle realize what had happened while he was unconscious. “Cain
hyung cut all my Channels for me.”

“Yeah.”

“It must’ve been quite difficult.”

Kahn didn’t say anything in reply. Doyle’s condition was so bad that even Anastasia
said he couldn’t be healed anymore. Still, Kahn had searched for Yeon-woo to find
another method. Yeon-woo had examined Doyle for a while, and quietly murmured,
“I’ll try.”

Kahn didn’t know what Yeon-woo had done. All he had seen was Yeon-woo moving
his hands, and Doyle’s expression immediately looked peaceful after.

However, Anastasia, who was watching with them, muttered under her breath that
they were all crazy, and left. When he turned to look at Victoria, she didn’t seem to
know the details either.

“I had remnants of the holy power the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth left
behind. When the Channels were forcibly disconnected, what remained was infecting
or messing up my soul. Cain hyung took care of that. It couldn’t have been easy…”

Kahn finally understood what Doyle was saying about the complete elimination of
the remnants. It was easier said than done. Doyle’s soul was probably fully
synchronized with their holy power. If anything went wrong, Doyle’s soul would be
damaged.

And it wasn’t just one but two beings. To make it worse, they were the Heavenly
Demon and Mother Earth. Mere mortals wouldn’t even be able to handle the
difficulty, but Yeon-woo managed it. In hindsight, Anastasia had said something after
seeing Yeon-woo.

“You’re already accustomed to dealing with souls? So, it seems you didn’t gain pieces
of holiness and ascended to a divine position for nothing… I wouldn’t be surprised if
you exuviate soon.” She was saying it wasn’t a coincidence that Yeon-woo had
received Hades’ Throne of Death. He had the qualifications to back it up.

In the entire history of the Tower—and probably even in the future—there likely
wasn’t anyone who could surpass Yeon-woo when it came to handling souls. It was
the reason why he’d succeeded in treating Doyle.

“But it would be dangerous for me if the remnants weren’t replaced… so I think he

filled the vacuum with his.”

“Are you… saying?”

“Yeah. It seems Cain hyung made me his Apostle…?” With that, blackish-blue flames
burned above Doyle’s palm. Whoosh! It was Holy Fire, Yeon-woo’s trademark. “I’m
probably the first to be a mortal’s Apostle. Not bad.” Doyle smiled faintly. Compared
to gods and demons, Yeon-woo’s level was beyond lacking, but he was still qualified
to have Apostles. Perhaps he was even overqualified because even though he hadn’t
even reached his full potential, he already had the Throne of Death. ‘Is he trying to
create a new religion with me as the start?’

Appointing an Apostle, who was practically a high priest, meant he could found a
new religion. The greater the followers, the more faith would expand, which meant it
was a significant source of support for gods. Doyle felt like he knew what he needed
to do in the future, and what his task was.

He had become someone’s subordinate, but if he was fated to be a servant anyway,

he would accept this gladly. Compared to the mysterious Heavenly Demon and the
conniving Mother Earth, Yeon-woo was much more trustworthy. And from what he
could see, Yeon-woo was someone with limitless growth.

He wouldn’t be satisfied simply being a king. He was sure to climb the wall of the
seventy-seventh floor and one day challenge the godly thrones of the ninety-eighth
floor and equal Mother Earth, Heavenly Demon, and the others. By serving him,
Doyle would be able to grow as well.

Others might say it was crazy, but Doyle had seen many gods and demons, and he
was even more certain about it. Was it because he decided to be at peace with it?

Yeon-woo’s flame burned in his mind and purified his dizziness, pushing away the
darkness. The events that had happened while he was comatose flashed through his
mind. He remembered the countless gods and demons that had approached to take
his body with its remnants. They had different bases and ranks, and he was vaguely
recalling their vestiges when he suddenly straightened his back.

“What’s wrong?” Kahn’s eyes widened when he saw Doyle shaking. He thought it was
a side effect.

Doyle frantically muttered, “Danger…”

“What?”

“Cain hyung is in danger!” Doyle’s deafening shout echoed in the room.

***

“The Crawling Chaos wasn’t enough… and now you’re working with a harlot like her?
You’re all over the place.” Yeon-woo found himself scoffing before he even realized.
Not only did Bayluk have the Crawling Chaos with him, he was working with Mother
Earth, too.

The Crawling Chaos and Mother Earth were an unlikely pair. From what he knew,
there was nearly no means for a conceptual god and otherworld god to find common
ground. Conceptual gods set the laws and truth of the Tower, and otherworld gods
were reliant on external disorder and chaos. There was no way they could meet, but
Bayluk seemed to be handling it well. But then, since it was Vieira Dune who’d taken
over Mother Earth, was it possible that he had done this with that knowledge?

[Mother Earth is watching you.]

Mother Earth wasn’t showing any particular reaction; she only observed Yeon-woo.
It was unpleasant.

Bayluk replied, “A harlot. She’s someone you used to sleep with. Isn’t that too harsh?”

Did Mother Earth not reveal his true identity? Bayluk didn’t seem to know about
Yeon-woo, but Yeon-woo didn’t feel the need to correct him.

Bayluk continued, “And I’d like to correct you. You got the order wrong. I began
working with Vieira Dune first, raised her to become Mother Earth and was able to
make a contract with the Crawling Chaos after.”

“When you were still in Arthia?”

“That’s right.”
“A traitor and a harlot, what a pair. Wow, how could two people so perfect for each
other join forces like this?” Yeon-woo was able to realize the truth. He did suspect
that there had been too much for Bayluk to accomplish on his own, and now he knew
that he’d been working with Vieira Dune all along.

He didn’t know who started it, but Vieira Dune poisoned Jeong-woo for Bayluk, and
Bayluk researched the Soulstone she brought and turned her into Mother Earth. In
return, Vieira Dune provided him an opportunity to gain new knowledge from the
Crawling Chaos.

It looked like they had gotten so far because Vieira Dune pursued what she wanted
in the heavenly world while Bayluk pursued his in the lower world.

‘Vieira Dune became Mother Earth to threaten Tartarus and Olympus, and Bayluk
used the Elohim to create a Divine Human? Ha! Hilarious.’ The people he wanted to
tear to shreds were both here. However, he didn’t understand why Mother Earth
would reveal her will.

[Mother Earth is watching you.]

Even though she was working with Bayluk and might be curious about Yeon-woo,
she should have been busy with the war with Olympus. Was the war over? He had no
way of knowing what happened after he left, so he couldn’t help feeling anxious.

“I thought you’d no longer have any interest in the lower world.” Just then, fog
wavered next to Bayluk and turned into a human. It was Vieira Dune.

She took a turn around the lab and carefully sat on a glass capsule in the depths of
the lab. She embraced the capsule as though it were a precious object.

Yeon-woo’s face hardened. One of Jeong-woo’s homunculi was inside the glass tube
that Vieira Dune’s manifestation was stroking. It was a scene he never wanted to see.
Mother Earth ran her hands over the capsule as though she were patting a doll and
stroked the area over the homunculus’ face. Then, she turned back to Yeon-woo and
opened her mouth.

You. Don’t. Know.

Because she was a conceptual being, she couldn’t speak properly. Yeon-woo
maximized his dragon’s knowledge to interpret her words. “What don’t I know?”
Would. You. Know.

This. Is.

My. Doll.

“What?”

My. Partner.

We. Are. Destined.

Mother Earth’s manifestation continued to move her mouth, not caring how furious
Yeon-woo grew.

Our. Love.

Grew. Cold.

But. I. Won’t. Lose. Him. Again.

Don’t. Bother. Me. Human.

Black. Is. Mine.

So.

You. Are. Also. Mine.

Give. Me. The. Throne.

With that, the manifestation looked up at the sky and let out a long cry.

Ooo.

Ooooo.

It was a spiritual spell that mortals couldn’t hear. Yeon-woo was only able to hear it
because he possessed the Throne of Death. His expression turned hard because he
knew what it meant. It was a declaration of war.
[At Mother Earth’s request, <Olympus> has expressed hostility to the clan ‘Arthia.’]

[All societies and alliances related to the clan ‘Arthia’ have accepted the declaration
of war from <Olympus>.]

[The clan ‘Children of the Forest’ is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The clan ‘Iron Throne’ is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The clan ‘Greenshade Star’ is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The enmity between the demonic society <L’Infernal> and <Olympus> has been
established!]

[<Olympus> asserts a trial of restraints.]

Trial of restraints? Yeon-woo’s expression turned hard as soon as he saw the
message. Trials were similar to quests that tested players who wanted to clear floors.
It was a restraint set temporarily by the Tower to help raise the abilities of ascetics
and help them train.

However, a trial had a wider range than an ordinary quest, and players who received
them had no choice but to clear them. It took a great deal out of the law of causality
to create them, which was why only progenitor and conceptual gods, who possessed
a large amount of the laws of causality could create them.

Olympus had to spread out the consequences among its members to give Yeon-woo a
new trial. The addition of “restraint” meant he couldn’t refuse it. Yeon-woo felt like
invisible chains were wrapping around his soul.

[The trial (Throne of Death) has been created.]

[The trial of <Olympus> is beginning.]

[Trial: <Olympus> is one of the largest godly societies in the heavenly world. Due to
this, <Olympus> has been challenged frequently throughout its history. Its rulers
have defeated most of the challenges, but at times, they lost and gave up their
thrones to the victor.

A big incident has occurred in <Olympus>, and its rulers have changed. The Titans,
who were previous rulers, and the Giants, who lost their bid for the throne, worked
together to overthrow the rules of <Olympus>. Poseidon and most of the deposed
rulers have successfully escaped, but the Titans and Giants need their heads to quiet
<Olympus>.

The Titans and Giants have realized that important functions in the godly society,
‘Death’ and the ‘authority of Tartarus’, have been lost. The new rulers of <Olympus>
wish to capture or kill you in order to regain their lost ‘Death’ and ‘authority of
Tartarus’.
Survive the beasts they will send after you or negotiate with them to consolidate
your position of ‘Death’ and ‘authority of Tartarus’.]

[The previous blessings and graces bestowed on you by <Olympus> have been
reclaimed.]

[You have been removed from your original affiliation <Olympus>.]

[Warning! You’re a loner who doesn’t belong anywhere. No group will protect you.]

[Many gods and demons will target your pieces of holiness and your divine position.
Beware of them.]

‘Olympus… has been seized by Titans and Giants.’ His greatest concern had come to
pass. After recovering their holy power, the Titan and Giant alliance had grown
strong, and their combined attack with Persephone and Mother Earth had
triumphed over Olympus.

It seemed like they had failed to prevent the Titans and Giants from ascending to
Olympus through the columns of the light.

Yeon-woo thought of Athena and Hermes. At times, they were like parents or
protective older siblings. He was grateful to the two gods for helping him. What
happened to them? They weren’t the only ones on his mind. He thought of Ares,
who’d confidently said he wanted to take him as an Apostle, and Apollo, Artemis, and
Dionysus, who helped him escape. And although he didn’t hide his hostility, Poseidon
had acknowledged him as Hades’ next king.

They were all special acquaintances, and he felt frustrated not knowing whether
they were dead or alive. Mother Earth just smirked at him as if she didn’t have any
intentions of answering his questions.

You.

Are. Mine.

A violent storm whirled in the lab. Equipment trembled and fell to the ground. The
glass capsules shook like they would crack. Yeon-woo could feel an intense pressure
holding him down. Just as L’Infernal had cursed the Elohim to tie them down,
Olympus was trying to prevent him from fighting.
Their influence was lagging because of the wall between the worlds and the laws of
causality, but it was enough of a debuff on Yeon-woo. That was how great a godly
society’s power was and how much influence Olympus held.

Yeon-woo could feel the glaring eyes on him from beyond the sky. They were gazes
he’d felt in Tartarus. He could kill gods back in Tartarus, but now that they were in
the heavenly world without any constraints, they were now incomparably strong.

However, the pressure that held him down was taken away by a different hand.

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Those crazy bastards who do nothing but lick Mother Earth’s asshole have
finally done it. They dare to speak such damned words in front of me? Fine. If that’s
your decision, I’ll take it.]

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Cha Yeon-woo! You have to pick now. From now on, it’s no longer your
personal war, but a great war that involves all of us. And remember who remained by
your brother’s side until the end and has always tried to protect you brothers!]

[Agares expresses a deep hostility to <Olympus>.]

[The demons of <L’Infernal> are enraged at the gods of <Olympus> after receiving a
declaration of war.]

[<L’Infernal> has announced a war of destruction on <Olympus>!]

[Many godly societies and demonic societies express concern about the clash
between societies.]

[A heavy atmosphere of war surrounds the heavenly world.]

[The godly society <Deva> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

[The godly society <Asgard> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

…
[The demonic society <Jie Sect> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

[A demon of <L’Infernal> ‘Baal’ looks at you wordlessly.]

Agares’ response had made L’Infernal announce that they would protect Yeon-woo
and Arthia. Despite knowing this, Olympus still announced their hostility, so
L’Infernal’s attitude was reaching extremes. The prideful demons couldn’t help
thinking that Olympus was looking down on them.

This was no longer entertainment occurring in the lower world. It was a great war
that wouldn’t end until they had managed to pull Olympus out by the roots.

L’Infernal’s first-ranked demon and leader, Baal, was carefully observing the reason
for the war, Yeon-woo. But he didn’t do anything and took away his gaze.

[The war of destruction between <L’Infernal> and <Olympus> is commencing.]

Krrrrr, krrr, krrrrr!

The Outer Space suddenly began to shake turbulently, as if it were about to be

destroyed. The clash between the two societies that began in the heavenly world was
going beyond what the laws of causality could handle and was starting to influence
the lower world.

Even after committing such a despicable act, Mother Earth’s manifestation just
glanced at the trembling air in front of her. There was a cold smile on her lips, as if
she had been hoping for this.

Yeon-woo could faintly guess what she was thinking. ‘Is she… trying to take over the
heavenly world?’

Mother Earth was a being who was at odds with all the gods and demons, and Vieira
Dune was a passionate being who wanted to possess the heavenly world. It made
sense that they would want to take over the heavenly world. The Titans and Giants
were only the vanguard. The beast wouldn’t stop at Olympus and L’Infernal. It would
raise its sword at the neutral Deva and Asgard, or maybe the Jie Sect.

Unconcerned, Mother Earth calmly turned back to Yeon-woo.

Give me. The.

Black King. And. Throne.

At that shout, the shaking glass capsules opened. Clack. The ancient species inside
walked out with shaky steps. Their eyes were unfocused, as if they had no
intelligence, but their auras were all ferocious. Their legends didn’t do them justice.

Come. Down.

My. Children.

Flash!

The interior of the lab was suddenly wrapped in light, and a new power was added
to the heavy aura of the ancient species: holy power. It was the power of Giants.

Rumble. The holy power didn’t just blow the lab up, it also swept away most of the
Elohim buildings. As if the Throne of Death Yeon-woo was exuding meant nothing,
the holy power from the Giants overwhelmed the Outer Space, making it almost hard
to breathe.

It was a manifestation. The Giants descended into the ancient species at Mother
Earth’s call. They cried out to the sky. This was the result of hundreds of years of
effort from the Elohim combined with Bayluk’s knowledge from the Crawling Chaos
to create monsters.

They couldn’t demonstrate their true power due to the different concentration of
spirit power in the lower world and the constraints set on them. Still the bodies of
the ancient species were sufficient to let them display their abilities and holy power.

Swish. Yeon-woo protected himself with Sky Wings and barely kept his balance in the
face of the storm of holy power. Disbelief spread on his face. ‘So many guys are
descending, but Allforone isn’t interfering at all?’ Then, he realized why the law of
causality wasn’t stopping them. The death of the Elohim members was a sacrifice,
and their Divine Factors and blood were enough payment to summon the Giants
here.

They had tried so hard to become gods only to end up as sacrifices. Perhaps they
would be glad because they died for the gods they served. But he still didn’t
understand. Allforone wasn’t the kind of person who would keep silent over this.
Even if he allowed the occasional manifestation, a manifestation of this scale could
ruin the order of the lower world. It wasn’t something he’d turn a blind eye to.

However, Allforone’s control seemed to have no intention of activating. “I don’t know

what happened, but I heard it’s thanks to you that Allforone’s hands are tied.” Bayluk
grinned widely, as if he read Yeon-woo’s mind.

Yeon-woo’s expression stiffened. “What?”

“Everyone here is grateful to you.”

Yeon-woo finally realized why Allforone wasn’t interfering. ‘It’s because of the battle
against the Demonism… ’ When he worked with the Demonism to protect Jeong-woo,
he’d escaped after leaving Allforone immobile on the thirty-sixth floor. He knew
there would be a long war against the progenitor gods or creator gods, and he
thought this would make it difficult for Allforone to get involved in his business. This
would also be a tool for negotiation with Allforone after he completed his revenge.
However, his enemies had taken advantage of it. He had been outplayed.

“Hahaha! And I heard you put on quite a performance in the world of the gods that
we can’t touch. He wanted to see you so badly; I suffered trying to convince him
otherwise.” Bayluk laughed maniacally as the holy power whirled around him. Pieces
of the Crawling Chaos that were partially connected to him began to roll on the
ground, extending their tentacles. “He’ll only get angrier if I keep wasting time, so let
me introduce him now. My greatest masterpiece.” As soon as he finished speaking,
the glass capsule Mother Earth’s manifestation was sitting on opened. The
homunculus inside looked exactly like Jeong-woo, but it was different from the other
homunculi. It was darker and stronger, but Yeon-woo had the strange impression
that it was like his brother.

Just then, the eyes of the homunculus flashed open. Yeon-woo was acquainted with
the pupils that appeared. They were the same as the ones that had looked at him
from the sky. It was Typhon. The king of the Giants and Mother Earth’s Apostle had
appeared.

“Nice to meet you in the lower world like this, human,” Typhon said in Jeong-woo’s
voice. “Everyone, kill that human and retrieve the Throne of Death.”

All the manifestations of the Giants ran towards Yeon-woo with their violent holy
power.
“Shit.” Yeon-woo laughed in a relaxed manner despite their overwhelming auras. He
spread his three-layered wings open. “It’s worked out for the better.” He had wanted
payback against them and had been nursing some frustration at not having a chance
at it. However, this was better since they had come looking for him instead. Didn’t
they know? This place was already Yeon-woo’s territory, the Underworld. “I’ll
consume you all.”

Clack, clack. Yeon-woo hurtled forward with Hades’ Spirit-Eating Sword to swallow
up the idiots who’d pushed their heads into the tiger’s den themselves.
Boom! The instant Yeon-woo clashed with Typhon and the others, a violent
shockwave spread out, sweeping away the lab equipment and what remained of the
buildings. A mammoth column of sand soared up to the sky. Yeon-woo flew over it
with his wings spread open. He had assessed that it would be difficult to fight
properly in a tight space, and Typhon and the other Giants followed him. Behind
them, massive tentacles surrounded by an ashy fog grew without any limits out of
Bayluk. Each tentacle was thick and reached higher than a skyscraper, and their
round suckers looked menacing.

Boom! The sky of the Outer Space grew more frenzied from their battle. There were
thunderous booms as black fire spread.

“We were correct. Hahah! There isn’t a body closer to a Divine Human than that
child’s!” Bayluk roared with laughter as insanity whirled in his eyes. Half of his body
had already been taken over by tentacles, and he didn’t seem human anymore. With
the blessing of one of the most powerful otherworld gods, he’d grown intoxicated by
the knowledge and holy power he possessed. He clenched his fists. The end game of
his mission to create a Divine Human was within sight. He had once lost it in the
past, and he wouldn’t let go of it this time. Once he captured Heaven Wing, his
brother, who had died tragically, could return to this land again!

Black King.

Throne.

I. Must. Have. It.

Still drunk on confidence, Bayluk turned to Mother Earth’s manifestation when she
suddenly spoke up. He was annoyed that she’d interrupted his fun, but he didn’t say
anything. There was no reason for him to get on the completed Mother Earth’s bad
side, now that she was no longer infected.

After everything was over, the Crawling Chaos would acknowledge him and he would
be able to receive his legends. In order to have a high divinity, he needed to have
status suitable for it in advance. He said to her solemnly, “Don’t forget our promise.
When we catch him, I’ll take the body, and you’ll have his soul. I don’t know what you
mean by darkness and the throne, but you should handle it on your own. For that,
your marionettes will have to complete their tasks well.”

I. Will. Keep. My. Promise.

“Yes. Be sure you do. Since your fragile divinity is on the line, you should protect it
any way you can so that it’s not ruined. Especially since you even swallowed the
Soulstone for it.” Bayluk’s tone was sarcastic since they had both worked for the
Soulstone, only for her to disappear with it. However, Mother Earth’s manifestation
seemed unaffected. Bayluk knew she wouldn’t be shaken by his words, so he didn’t
speak further. He spread his hands apart. “Everything that belongs to the Elohim has
been sacrificed and the laws of causality are whirling like a storm! The Giants will
bring me the ingredients for a Divine Human, and the Devil Army will soon take the
legacy the last dragon king left behind.”

Bayluk laughed maniacally as he thought of the Devil Army attacking Laputa right
now. “There won’t ever be another perfect opportunity like this! I will succeed in
everything!”

At that moment, space itself cracked, and the area around him shook turbulently. It
was a phenomenon that occurred whenever a soul as large as a divine being’s was
crushed.

“Is it over?” Bayluk looked with a smirk, thinking things were finished faster than he
expected. Something was plummeting to the ground. Thinking it was Heaven Wing,
Bayluk headed over with joy, already thinking of the experiments he’d perform on
the boy and how he’d combine it with magic cores provided by the Crawling Chaos.
Boom!

“What?” His face stiffened when he saw the snakelike body at his feet. It was a Hoop
Snake, one of the ancient species he’d restored. One of the Giants had probably
descended into it, but now, the unfocused eyes were bereft of holy power, and the
snake’s body had deflated like a balloon.

Even though the lower world put a lot of restraints on descents, it would have still
been difficult for a player to defeat the snake. Suddenly, Bayluk had a foreboding
feeling. Something wasn’t right.

***

Aaah. Aaaaah.

‘It’s so loud.’ Yeon-woo frowned at the souls that whirled around him in the sky.
Although ordinary players couldn’t see then, as the successor of the Black King and
the owner of the Throne of Death, he could see the souls in the Outer Space clearly,
along with their deep-seated resentment and grudges.

Bayluk and Mother Earth had committed nothing less than a massacre in Peals of the
Great. Everyone had been sacrificed for the sake of the laws of causality. However,
even after death, they couldn’t ascend to the Beyond. They would only be used as
materials to support Mother Earth and Olympus. The Elohim players only realized
this after they died, so they could do nothing but weep sorrowfully.

Unfortunately, their despair and resentment was used as energy for the Giants,
who’d descended en masse. The survivors of Elohim seemed to have realized
something was off, but it was too late.

“Bayluk! What have you done to us?!”

“My b-body, it won’t move!”

“Aaack! My strength! All my Divine Factors are melting…! No! Noooo!”

As they fought, the Elohim players felt their bodies going stiff. The more intelligent
ones realized what it was: Spirit Powder Poison. Bayluk had activated the poison
he’d already fed them beforehand.

He was sly enough to successfully poison someone like Jeong-woo, who had Draconic
Eyes, so it wasn’t that hard for him to poison all the Elohim players. The poison he
used was effective in flushing out their innate Divine Factors and blood, so he could
amplify the sacrifice.

“You dirty-tempered man! How could you use your skill knowing I was coming for
the Elder Assembly? If you get rid of them all, who am I supposed to fight!” Yeon-woo
could see that Phante and the others were enraged.
「Five minutes before hell.」

「Looks like we have that much more work to do. More importantly, things are
getting complicated where Master is.」

「Then go there; I’ll take this place. Dis Pluto! Don’t leave survivors!」

Shanon and Hanryeong were flustered at first, but they split up their tasks so they
could maintain their upper hand.

“Father…! Why are you here?”

Meanwhile in Laputa, the Devil Army, which had been lying low, suddenly began
their attack. Kahn, Doyle, and Victoria became busy. Yeon-woo didn’t worry about
them too much because of Kahn, who had mastered Bian, but Doyle seemed to be
uncomfortable once he encountered the enemies. His father, who had given him up
to the Head Bishop to be a vessel, was among the intruders. Yeon-woo’s Channel
with Doyle was trembling. The Outer Space Peals of the Great was completely under
his jurisdiction now, and he was receiving input from all of the events in real time
through Extrasensory Perception, including of the Giants who had descended.

『I don’t know if it’s because we’re in the lower world, but you’ve become quite
strong. Or is it because you’ve gained something else since the last time we met?』 A
storm swept around Typhon and pressured Yeon-woo. The other Giants surrounded
Yeon-woo to clip his Sky Wings.

Rumble. The attack was intense. The Elohim’s sacrifice had provided such great
energy that the Giants could not only descend, but also fully manifest.

『What a good trick! Let’s see how long you can keep that up!』

The Giants’ manifestation had been blocked from some time. Yeon-woo had used his
territorial power to disturb the laws of causality. The Giants were frustrated because
things weren’t going as planned. Their descent had been slowed, and they couldn’t
demonstrate their power as they could in the heavenly world. It was exceedingly
uncomfortable.

In contrast, Yeon-woo had rolled out his Sky Wings, released the Stone of Sin, Dragon
Heart, and the Throne of Death. He was bursting out with power that was
comparable to that of a divine being. His counterattacks even occasionally forced the
Giants out of the bodies of the ancient species, like the Barbaroi that had just fallen.

It seemed like the Giants wouldn’t be able to touch him, much less steal the Black
King’s power and the Throne of Death. They’d have to return to the heavenly world
empty-handed. They would have taken a pointless risk to descend to the lower world
just before their war against L’Infernal.

Unlike the anxious Giants, Yeon-woo calmly use Time Difference and Demarcation to
defend against them. However, things weren’t entirely smooth, either. ‘Seems like it
won’t be easy.’

Even though the laws of causality disturbed the accumulation of power, it was
impossible to stop it completely. Focusing on the battle with Giants was already
pushing him and Laputa to the limit. Furthermore, the tentacles of the Crawling
Chaos continued to search for chances to swallow him while Mother Earth attempted
Erosion to dislodge his Demarcation. On top of that, time was ticking for Sky Wings.

The consequences of lacking holiness were apparent, and if they began a battle on
the ground, Yeon-woo would be at a disadvantage. It wasn’t that he didn’t have other
options available to prevail. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have tried to fight the Giants in
the first place. He would have sacrificed the Elohim and retreated. There was no
shame in that; taking a step back in order to take two steps forward later was a
strategy he’d already used before.

The reason Yeon-woo was using up the last seconds of Sky Wings was so that he
could find an answer to the question that had been bothering him. ‘It’s not just one
or two strange things.’

He didn’t quite understand three things. First, what had given the Giants the
confidence to descend in such large numbers to the lower world right before their
war with L’Infernal? Even if the Titans and Giants had more power than they had in
Tartarus, beings like Agares and Baal in L’Infernal couldn’t be underestimated. It
would be a life-or-death battle.

And yet, they’d still tried to descend to the lower world with their leader Typhon and
their greatest benefactor Mother Earth. Was it purely to take the Black King’s power
and the Throne of Death?
‘Everyone’s response to Mother Earth is strange as well.’ The second question was
why Asgard, Deva, and the other societies refused to interfere when Mother Earth
appeared. She had fought long wars with many societies and was their common
enemy.

Now that she had taken over Olympus and shown up in the heavenly world with a
bang, the other societies ought to be wary of her. But they were only watching from a
distance without even trying to organize together. Even though they were aware of
Mother Earth and the Giants’ mission, they seemed to accept the situation as though
it weren’t anything out of the ordinary.

It was evident there was something going on between Mother Earth and the other
societies. And the third question he had was: ‘Why are the gods and demons just
watching too?’

The 666 gods and demons connected to Sky Wings, and the 5,000 gods and demons
who’d given him powers weren’t budging. They normally looked on him with favor,
but today, they were only bystanders.

Yeon-woo suspected that they wondered whether Yeon-woo was qualified to be the
Black King’s successor. It was clear that they considered this a test that would
determine if he was worthy of being the Black King’s successor. Their positions in
their respective societies were more important than their personal interest in him,
so it was probably difficult for them to act on their own.

They were in a different situation from Agares, who had announced his participation
in the war. Still, Yeon-woo had to wonder once more why they seemed wary of
Mother Earth but didn’t do anything about her presence. He tried to get answers but
they continued to be indifferent.

[The godly society <Deva> will observe how you plan to overcome this hurdle.]

[The godly society <Asgard> is watching your trial.]

‘I was going to do this after all my questions were answered, but… ’

[00:02:11]
[00:02:10]

His eyes flashed as he looked at the countdown. ‘Oh well.’ There wasn’t much time
left. Now that he couldn’t hide his cards any longer, he had to step forward. Boom!
Yeon-woo deflected Typhon’s attack that was headed to his face and landed on the
ground. The large, dignified building that had been standing there just a few minutes
ago had been reduced to black ruins.

『Are you out of tricks now?』 Typhon smirked at him. He knew that Yeon-woo had
used up a lot of his power.

However, Yeon-woo just smirked back. “No. We’re only getting started.”

『There must be limits to how long a mere mortal can handle that strange cluster of
powers.』

“Limits? Of course, there are. But thanks to you guys, I can try something I don’t
normally have the chance to.”

『What kind of nonsense…!』

“Black King!”

Typhon was puzzled.

“Did you understand when I said it?”

Typhon frowned at Yeon-woo’s words first before he suddenly realized what Yeon-
woo meant. He shouted, 『Stop him!』

The Giants didn’t know what Yeon-woo was planning, but they knew that something
unusual was happening. They opened up space and tried to approach him.

“Stand.” At Yeon-woo’s command, the range of the Demarcation shrank. The shadows
focused on Yeon-woo and created a wall that cut him off from the outside.

[Wall of the Dead]

Kyaaaa. Thump, thump! The shadow wall made up of thousands of souls prevented
the Giants from approaching closer. Yeon-woo spread his left hand and thrust it in
the air. With a crunch, sharp canines latched onto the space. Small cracks appeared
on his palm. “Devour.”

[Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword]

The whirling shadows were sucked into the teeth at a rapid pace, like water flowing
down a drain. It seemed like a silly act, as though he were taking back the shadows
that he’d sent out, but Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword was eating more than the shadows.
The wandering souls that had lost their way in the Outer Space, the souls that were
meant to be sacrificed for the laws of causality were being stolen!

『You crazy bastard!』 Typhon couldn’t contain his anger and attempted to force a
manifestation. At this rate, the laws of causality they needed to gain through any
means would be stolen. Even if Allforone stepped in to limit them afterwards, he
needed to stop it. The body he was in couldn’t bear the pressure and scattered in the
air as an intense storm of holy power raged around him. Only a part of Typhon’s
body could descend, and his great eyes appeared as a gigantic arm ripped through
space and struck Yeon-woo. Boom!

The extraordinary amount of holy power pressed on Yeon-woo and the ground. It
was a strength that could destroy the rest of the Outer Space. Pieces of space rained
down from the cracks that grew along the Outer Space.

『Im… possible…!』 However, Typhon’s huge palm couldn’t even crush the ground.
It had been met by a strong force. It was the Wall of the Dead that protected Yeon-
woo, who had nearly completed his absorption of the laws of causality.

His Soul Collection was filled to the brim, ready to burst any moment. Not only did it
contain the Elohim’s souls, but also thousands of souls from the Blood Land, the Lion
Alliance, and the Devil Army that he’d taken in the Dragon Labyrinth. They were all
weeping together.

From the start, he already possessed more sacrifices than Bayluk and Mother Earth.
The amount was more than enough, and he even had rankers that gods and demons
would covet.

“I have a question.” Yeon-woo laughed coldly as he looked at Typhon’s eyes, which

peered through his gigantic fingers. Typhon’s bloodshot eyes were shaking. “What
would happen if I offered as many sacrifices as your group descent did? Or even
more than that. I think it’d like it a lot.” Yeon-woo raised the Cast.

Typhon’s eyes widened with shock. 『Stop! Stop…!』

“I present all of it.” Yeon-woo pushed everything into the Cast of the Black King. “So
awaken.”

Urrrrng.

The three Casts began to vibrate rapidly. Black Resonance!

『What an amusing thing you're trying to do. Impressive! It’s the best of the stupid
attempts you’ve made before! Hahaha! 』

Yeon-woo ignored the Demonism’s laugh, which he hadn’t heard since the previous
incident. He attempted to awaken the last of the Cast that had unlocked options,
‘Fury of the Black King.’

Clang! He felt something comfortable on his neck, and the tightly wrapped black
chains were loosening on his right arm. Clack. The chains started to unspool like
yarn, exuding a black mist.

『Go ahead and play. I'll just amuse myself watching you. Keekeekeek!』 For the first
time, Yeon-woo’s hand awakened the true power of the Black King.