Chapter 151: Final Test (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Final Test (5)
“You are weak. But do not worry. I will lead you.”
Trey Dice had spoken those words with absolute confidence after the Final Test ended. His expression had been devoid of even a single shred of doubt.
That was one month before he died.
* * *
Kang Jun-hyeok looked at Trey, who was currently staring back at him with wary, piercing eyes.
Trey Dice.
In the previous timeline, he had successfully cleared the Final Test and become the representative of Earth. Then, a month later, he died on the 65th floor while climbing the Tower.
It wasn't even a particularly difficult floor. In fact, it was considered one of the easier stages to clear. However, Trey never returned after entering.
Later, when Kang Jun-hyeok cleared that same floor himself, he understood why.
There was a truly malicious trap hidden there. Normally, it wouldn't have been an issue, but for someone with an iron will and absolute self-belief, it was a deathtrap. Trey was more confident than anyone. That was likely why he fell for the trap and perished.
And so...
“I’m going to shatter those delusions of yours.”
“Nonsense! I am strong. No matter how powerful you may be, you cannot ignore me!”
Trey bared his teeth and lunged forward. Intense power surged through his sword. A sharp metallic clang rang out as their blades collided.
Screeeech!
Kang Jun-hyeok responded effortlessly, yet even his casual defense exerted a heavy pressure on Trey. Trey gritted his teeth against the vibrations rattling the hand holding his sword.
‘What the…!’
He couldn't win in a contest of strength or speed.
In that case, he would win with technique. Trey’s stance shifted. He lowered his center of gravity and moved erratically, constantly probing for a gap in Kang Jun-hyeok’s defense.
‘He is strong, I’ll give him that,’ Kang Jun-hyeok thought as he tracked the movements.
Trey had talent. He fell short compared to Yoo Jin-ha, but Yoo Jin-ha was an anomaly—his talent was among the best in the entire universe. Furthermore, Trey had a very high understanding of the System. Even now, he was pressing Kang Jun-hyeok by exploiting the unique traits of a Player’s body to ignore minor attacks.
He was certainly strong.
‘But that’s all he is.’
Step.
Trey raised his sword high.
[Mountain Splitter]
A strike capable of crushing peaks came crashing down. A High-Rank Skill, Mountain Splitter—the power contained within it was literally enough to split a mountain in two.
Kang Jun-hyeok simply reached out toward the descending blade.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave rippled outward. Trey’s eyes widened in shock.
“Are you insane?!” The shout escaped his lips involuntarily.
The sword he had swung with all his might was caught firmly in Kang Jun-hyeok’s bare hand. He tried to pull it back in a panic, but it didn't budge, as if it were embedded in solid rock.
Crack.
Kang Jun-hyeok’s fist buried itself in Trey’s abdomen.
It was an overwhelming speed that left no room for even the thought of defense. Trey tumbled across the ground before he could even scream.
“…Gah!”
Trey managed to wheeze out the breath he had been holding. His body curled up like a shrimp. A single blow had inflicted unbearable agony.
As Trey groaned, Kang Jun-hyeok muttered, “You’re weak. Yet you live under the delusion that you’re strong—that you’re superior.”
“…Don’t make me laugh.” Trey gritted his teeth and forced himself up. “I am superior. I am strong. I am special. You’re just the freak here.”
Trey refused to swallow his pride. Kang Jun-hyeok wasn't particularly surprised.
‘A prideful guy like him won't break from just this.’
Which meant he had to break him by force. Kang Jun-hyeok snapped his fingers. A golden light rose and enveloped Trey.
Hummm.
Trey’s eyes went wide. His pain vanished instantly, and the fatigue in his muscles washed away. No System window appeared, which meant it wasn't a skill.
“What did you do…?”
“Divinity. It’s the Authority of a god. You can obtain it by achieving a Perfect Clear on the 23rd Floor.” Kang Jun-hyeok smirked. “You have Divinity like me, right? Care to show me?”
“…”
“What? You don’t have it? How disappointing.”
Trey’s face contorted as he stood up and unleashed a strike fueled by pure rage. Kang Jun-hyeok lightly stepped back and pulled out an Orb. A fragment of ruby shot out from it.
K-Boom!
A violent explosion erupted. Trey was swallowed by the blast before he could even react.
“Guaaaah!”
“You can learn magic on the 18th Floor. This is Arcana Gem Magic I learned there. What kind of magic did you learn?”
“…”
Trey hadn't even managed to enter the Magic Tower on the 18th Floor.
Kang Jun-hyeok raised his sword. He infused it with Internal Energy and thrust forward. Trey barely managed to block, but the force sent him crashing back.
Craaaash!
“Cough!”
“This is Internal Energy. You can get it on the 27th Floor. And this is from the 7th Floor—a skill you can get by proceeding with Yulsir’s Quest.”
[Judgment of the Law]
“Ugh!”
Trey staggered as a sudden, invisible burden weighed down his body. Kang Jun-hyeok smiled brightly.
“You said you were special. If that’s the case, shouldn't you be able to show me worth and techniques to match? Show me something that only you have.”
“…”
Trey’s eyes wavered. He possessed none of the things Kang Jun-hyeok had shown him. No—forget possessing them, he didn't even have a clue how one was supposed to obtain them on the floors Jun-hyeok mentioned.
Kang Jun-hyeok spoke in a low, cold voice.
“You are strong. You have talent, and your understanding of the System is high. But that’s it.”
He lacked the flash of intuition. He lacked the Observation Skill to dig into a floor and truly analyze it.
“Confidence in yourself—you climbed the Tower with only that. You missed the countless opportunities that existed there. In other words, you’re just another ordinary human in this vast universe.”
“A-Aaaah! Aaaaaah!”
Trey charged with a cry that sounded more like a desperate scream. Kang Jun-hyeok lightly snapped his fingers.
[Glory of the Lost God]
A blinding light illuminated the world. Trey let out a hollow laugh at the pure white radiance that blanketed everything.
“Ha, ha…”
And then he was erased. When the light faded, nothing remained.
[Kang Jun-hyeok has eliminated Trey Dice.]
[Final Survivor: Kang Jun-hyeok]
“Incredible!”
The Administrator appeared through a rift in space, exclaiming in admiration as she looked at Kang Jun-hyeok.
“I knew it! I knew you’d win! But to think you’d eliminate all ninety-nine people by yourself! Wow. Even I’m surprised by this!”
“I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
“Satisfied? I’m thrilled!” She laughed heartily and slapped Kang Jun-hyeok on the shoulder. “It’s not over yet, but you won't find an achievement like this anywhere else! The others will be so jealous. This is great. You’re my pride, Kang Jun-hyeok.”
Her pitch-black eyes met Kang Jun-hyeok’s.
“I’ll be counting on you ‘from now on’ too, okay?”
Kang Jun-hyeok understood the meaning behind those words better than anyone. He nodded.
“I’ll be in your care from now on as well.”
The Administrator grinned. At that moment, the Labyrinth closed.
[The Quest has ended. Please take a three-day rest. Afterward, the settlement will proceed, and you will return to Earth.]
* * *
Kang Jun-hyeok returned to the Amusement Park. The ninety-nine players he had eliminated were all there.
Kang Jun-hyeok spoke casually. “This is the second time I’m saying this to everyone. Hello?”
The moment they heard those words, they reflexively flinched. It was because those were the first words Kang Jun-hyeok had said when he first encountered them.
Everyone stared at Kang Jun-hyeok in silence, none of them daring to speak. Just how much power did he have? What level had he reached?
They had all seen it. He was, quite literally, on a different level. It wasn't a matter of being one or two steps ahead; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was ten steps ahead. Though they were all top-tier players, they couldn't help but feel the insurmountable wall between them.
However, there was one person who had yet to be broken. Trey gritted his teeth and stood before Kang Jun-hyeok.
“…I request a duel.”
[Trey Dice has requested a duel with Kang Jun-hyeok.]
Despite experiencing a crushing defeat, his eyes still burned with fighting spirit. He showed a firm will to prove himself. Kang Jun-hyeok laughed playfully.
“Sure. But I don’t plan on giving out lessons for free.”
[Kang Jun-hyeok has requested a duel with Trey Dice.]
[Duel Stakes: 500 Gold from Trey Dice.]
“Five hundred Gold per duel. Will you accept?”
“I accept.”
“If you say so.”
Trey drew his sword. Kang Jun-hyeok responded in kind.
Boom!
Kang Jun-hyeok didn't hold back anymore. Trey was defeated in just ten seconds. Yet, he still didn't break. He forced himself back up.
“Again. Again…!”
[Trey Dice has requested a duel with Kang Jun-hyeok.]
[Duel Stakes: 500 Gold from Trey Dice.]
Kang Jun-hyeok nodded. Trey repeated the cycle of losing and challenging him again. The expressions of the other players watching this gradually began to change.
“…Mr. Kang Jun-hyeok. May I also request a duel?”
“No! Me first!”
“Please, me too!”
To fight against a powerhouse who handled Trey Dice like a child—they wouldn't find an opportunity like this anywhere else. Realizing this, they scrambled to request duels with Kang Jun-hyeok.
Kang Jun-hyeok welcomed them. “As long as you pay the price, I don’t mind how many of you there are.”
The duels between Kang Jun-hyeok and the players began. Countless people challenged him and lost, over and over again. In the process, they realized something.
They weren't impressive at all. They had merely obtained and used what was given to them as they climbed the Tower. They possessed none of the techniques, Divinity, magic, or Internal Energy that Kang Jun-hyeok had. A few of them had special stats, but they were at a level where they couldn't even utilize them properly.
They realized the fact that they were weak. Their confidence as top-tier players was shattered.
Kang Jun-hyeok watched them quietly. Most of these people would have died meaningless deaths while climbing the Tower with overinflated confidence. They had passed by things they could have obtained if they had just paid a little more attention.
‘I wonder if things will be a little different this time?’
The duels were good for him as well. Since so many players challenged him, his Gold was piling up. It was enough to buy a High-Rank Skill as soon as he returned.
“I’m next!”
“No, it’s me!”
They vied with each other to challenge Kang Jun-hyeok. Yoo Jin-ha watched the scene with a look of disgust.
“Man, everyone is so weird.”
He couldn't understand why they would volunteer for such a struggle. But it was for the best. If they kept Kang Jun-hyeok busy, he could relax. Just as Yoo Jin-ha was about to sneak away and hide…
“Yoo Jin-ha. If you don’t want to die, get over here.”
“I-I don’t have any Gold, though?”
“It’s fine. I won't take anything from you, as a special favor,” Kang Jun-hyeok said with a cheerful laugh.
Yoo Jin-ha’s face fell. “…Yes, sir.”