Chapter 64: Level 100 - (3)
As if it had been preordained, the moment I reached level 100, the Kaeseong Subjugation ended.
It was due to the news that a large-scale movement of monsters had been detected advancing south from the northern area of central Kaeseong.
No matter how strong the assigned teams were, they could not handle an enemy force with an average level 200 higher than theirs.
While Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri might have managed, even Kim Miso would have struggled against just one of them.
Moreover, the drizzle that had been at a manageable level turned into a torrential downpour, making the weather conditions significantly worse.
Since the subjugation ended due to weather and field conditions, no players complained.
Most were actually satisfied, having earned a hefty amount of experience points.
‘I really fought to my heart’s content.’
Sanghyun looked at his dust-covered body and smiled in satisfaction.
Fighting in sync with Lee Sehwa was just as enjoyable as it had been with Kim Miso. The synergy between them was incredible.
Even though I had pushed myself quite hard, my mind remained clear. It felt like I was completely high on adrenaline.
“I’ve worked with swordsman players many times before, but Sanghyun, you were the most exhilarating. It was truly the best.”
Lee Sehwa, seemingly thinking the same, handed me a bottle of cool water and gave me a thumbs-up.
“I fought to my heart’s content as well. The thrill of strategizing and the ridiculous rush of leveling up—it was all amazing.”
“Are you normally an extreme offense type?”
Extreme offense—short for an extremely aggressive combat style.
Lee Sehwa was a mage player who fit that term perfectly.
“I don’t strictly adhere to a single concept, but I do heavily favor offense over defense.”
“This is… this is… we absolutely have to meet again, don’t we?”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Just because I’m a member of the Player Union doesn’t mean I’m completely tied down to the organization. I have time.”
“Then let’s exchange contact information.”
“Sounds great!”
Since we both strongly wanted to meet again, exchanging contact information happened in an instant.
I figured that when tackling dungeons structured around open fields, Lee Sehwa would be the best match.
For rough and narrow terrain, Kim Miso was the better fit, while for the opposite, Lee Sehwa was ideal.
After exchanging contact information—
Lee Sehwa reviewed our battle together and emphasized once again.
“Your skill reset and various other abilities were truly impressive. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d love to take a closer look at your skills in the future.”
“If the opportunity arises, I’d be happy to.”
“And I owe you an apology.”
“Hm?”
“To be honest, I thought the media was exaggerating about you. I assumed there was a lot of bluffing involved. That was my misunderstanding. I have to admit when I’m wrong.”
Coming from a well-known mage player, that recognition felt especially gratifying.
And so, the first Kaeseong Subjugation came to an end.
For me, beyond the monetary earnings, I had experienced an explosive level-up beyond belief.
Moreover, I had formed a connection with Lee Sehwa, which would undoubtedly prove useful in the future.
After finishing a fierce battle and returning home, I spent over an hour in the shower under the steaming hot water.
The strong water pressure against my body felt refreshing, keeping me in the shower for a long time.
“A total of 4 billion won in distributed earnings. When was the last time I received this kind of money?”
I clicked my tongue as I looked at today’s subjugation pay, which had already been fully processed and deposited into my account.
All the magic stones I had acquired were handed over to Eden Guild for sale, and they were sold at their full value.
Of course, there were still unaccounted-for gains as well.
Among them were thirty-five bronze- and silver-grade artifacts obtained through relentless targeting of Split’s clones, along with the artifacts I was currently wearing.
“No wonder players used to be so desperate to join subjugation battles.”
As an outsider, I had always wondered why players would risk their lives for subjugation missions.
But after participating, I realized it was worth far more than I had imagined. A daily earning of 4 billion won? That was simply ridiculous.
[The owner of Flames of the Unquenchable says your stage is still too small and urges you to step into a larger, broader world.]
[The Holy King acknowledges your ability, impressed that you managed to gain the favor of the Flame Emperor’s contracted player.]
[The Flame Emperor states that you are the best possible partner for his chosen player.]
“Thank you, Flame Emperor. So, Lee Sehwa’s constellation is you?”
[The Flame Emperor nods. He expresses his desire to broaden Lee Sehwa’s horizons through you.]
“Well, that won’t come for free, will it? If you offer proper conditions, I’ll give it serious thought.”
[The Flame Emperor responds positively to your words. He says he will be in touch soon.]
“He’s actually taking me seriously.”
Receiving praise from constellations felt like riding an endless high, making me feel oddly elated.
And then, I was reminded once more—
I still had an open slot for contracting with another constellation.
[The Goddess of Luck reaffirms that she actually hopes you can coexist with an even stronger constellation.]
“I’m always grateful.”
She truly was a kind constellation.
Sometimes, I wondered who was the real constellation and who was the contracted player.
That’s how much the Goddess of Luck cared for me, always looking out for me and offering unwavering support.
‘But it would be even better if I could contract with a god-rank being.’
I clicked my tongue in frustration.
Constellations and gods were nearly impossible to coexist with. In other words, contracting with a constellation drastically reduced the chances of forming a contract with a god.
That’s why players who contracted with gods often did so at incredibly low levels.
It meant that gods foresaw the player’s future as a prominent figure and extended a contract early.
Though I didn’t know it yet, Shin Taeri was a prime example of an early contract case. She had contracted with the god-rank entity “Shadow Abyss” at level 35.
At that moment—
“Hm?”
A completely different status window than anything I had seen before began blinking in front of me.
It was neither the system messages nor the constellation’s message window.
It was a golden window, something I had never seen implemented before, making me tense up immediately. What was this?
【An unidentified god-rank entity has taken an interest in you. This message is being transmitted through a special channel undetectable even by the Goddess of Luck.】
【The unidentified god-rank entity demands absolute secrecy. It instructs you to communicate mentally.】
‘A god-rank being, appearing out of nowhere?’
I switched to mental communication as instructed by the god-rank entity.
Revealing anything aloud after being told to maintain secrecy would likely result in this first meeting also being the last.
【The unidentified god-rank entity is extremely curious if you are worthy of its attention.】
‘What must I prove? Also, I must state this upfront—I refuse to work with a god of slaughter.’
Even as I responded politely, I made my stance clear.
Gods of slaughter.
As the term suggested, they were gods who were obsessed with killing.
Every player who eventually turned into a serial killer was 100% guaranteed to have contracted with such a god or constellation.
Luca Viole, the Artifact Devourer, had likely contracted with a similar murderous god or constellation.
【The unidentified divine throne advises against making foolish speculations and asks if you can pass its trial.】
‘What kind of trial is it?’
【It says that it will soon create and send a rift, and it wants Sanghyun to overcome it.】
‘Then the reason gates and rifts have continued to appear without end since the Player Era began is…’
Sanghyun had always been curious about why gates and rifts kept increasing no matter how much players prepared and cleared them.
He had never found an answer, but now, he had stumbled upon a clue from an entirely unexpected place.
Divine thrones and constellations created these spaces purely ‘for fun’ to test the abilities of players.
And now, this divine throne was saying it would create a rift, which could bring disaster to humanity, as a so-called trial for him.
There must have been countless rifts created in this way. Too many to count.
At that moment—
As if he had known it all along, the exact location where the rift would form vividly surfaced in his mind.
Near Gapyeong Station.
It was predicted to appear in three days on a remote, sloped path where few people passed by.
However, no details about the rift’s interior or restrictions came to mind.
【The unidentified divine throne says that if you seek help from someone or involve others, its interest in you will disappear.】
The divine throne seemed quite cautious and meticulous, different from what Sanghyun had imagined.
It wasn’t the type to suddenly appear and propose a contract or impulsively steal a player's heart.
It was carefully evaluating him, much like a picky consumer thoroughly inspecting a product before purchasing.
【And even if you choose not to form a contract with it, it emphasizes that you will receive a rather useful reward from the rift.】
‘So, you’re saying I’ll get a service fee for my trouble?’
【It wishes you good luck.】
With that, the conversation ended. It had been a secret exchange, hidden even from the Constellation Goddess of Luck.
‘A divine throne, huh…’
Sanghyun never expected that a casual thought about forming a contract with a divine throne would suddenly become reality.
Even in the entire history of players, there were only a hundred divine thrones. That was how rare they were.
And now, one of them had finally taken an interest in him.
For now, it was listed as an unidentified divine throne, but one day, he would uncover its true nature.
‘Is level 100 a turning point in more ways than one?’
With the skill enhancement still pending and now a trial from the divine throne, he had even more to think about.
Sanghyun’s mind grew more complicated.
“For now, let’s devour the artifacts first.”
To organize his scattered thoughts, Sanghyun decided to take care of the most immediate task.
Consuming the 35 artifacts he had obtained by cleverly taking down the Split in the recent Kaeseong Subjugation Battle.
They were all bronze and silver-grade, with many overlapping parts, making them unworthy of equipping.
Since their grades were low, the absorption rate was low, and each artifact only provided a total of 2 to 3 stats.
But quantity was power. After consuming all 35 artifacts, he gained a substantial increase in his stats.
His strength, agility, stamina, mana, defense, and evasion all increased by at least 10 points each.
With a total stat increase of over 60, it was equivalent to obtaining a platinum-grade artifact.
This was a satisfying feast. And at the very end of his devouring spree, he gained a hidden skill.
//s_win
//win_h 『Solitary Recovery』
■ Skill Level: Stage 1 (0.0%)
■ Skill Description: While in stealth mode, the player can fully recover their health.
//e_win
Once recovery is complete, stealth is automatically lifted, and during recovery, a protective shield activates to defend the player.
Stealth applies as ‘Complete Stealth,’ and the shield can withstand damage equal to the player’s maximum health.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
“A berserker-type skill?”
Sanghyun smiled at the appearance of this new skill.
Devouring artifacts in large quantities was indeed the right choice.
Furthermore, ever since his regression,
His steadily increasing luck stat was now proving its worth in a noticeable way.
The appearance of a hidden skill.
The more artifacts he consumed, the more he benefited from his luck stat, naturally boosting his growth.
It was like scratching off a lottery ticket with a high chance of winning every time—an incredible privilege.