Chapter 163: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 163: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (3)
Divine Art of the Master of All Weapons.
The third form: Void Heaven Power Dissipation.
Heaven’s power was contained, only to vanish in vain.
He had just successfully executed the technique. The Master of All Weapons murmured in genuine wonder.
[Impressive. That is a technique one cannot wield without true enlightenment.]
[A-Are you alright?] Eldiria asked, her voice trembling.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t say I’m perfectly fine… but my life isn’t in danger.”
He had succeeded in blocking seven attacks.
Kang Jun-hyeok looked toward the other side of the rift. He could sense an unexpected wave of surprise emanating from Numberless.
And beneath that, another emotion.
Amusement.
[Numberless offers you an Apostle's Contract.]
[Do you wish to accept?]
“Accept?”
Kang Jun-hyeok rejected it instantly. The being beyond the veil let out a low chuckle. The world began to distort and crumble around them.
One last faint voice drifted through the collapsing space.
[I’ve heard the rumors… but you are even more than they say. This was entertaining. I shall look forward to your future.]
[Level Up!]
[Health +100]
[Strength +4]
[Speed +3]
[Internal Energy +5]
[Mana +2]
[Mastery of Boundary of Death Awakening has increased from F to E.]
[Mastery of Boundary of Death Awakening has increased from E to D.]
[Mastery of Divine Art has increased significantly.]
[Mastery of True Ancestor Awakening has increased from F to E.]
[Mastery of Single Point Penetration has increased from F to E.]
[Mastery of Block has increased from D to C.]
[Mastery of Anti-Field has...]
Mastery levels for countless skills surged at once. Then, the system window announcing the conclusion appeared.
[33rd Floor Quest Cleared.]
[Rewards will be determined based on your performance.]
[Calculating achievement rate...]
[Calculation complete.]
[Achievement Rate: 100%]
[Perfect Clear! Congratulations! Additional rewards will be granted.]
[An effect has been added to the Title: Perfect Player.]
[3,114 Gold has been awarded.]
[You have obtained the Perfect Clear reward: Weapon - Spear of the End.]
[You have obtained the Perfect Clear reward: Active Skill - Reset.]
[Players who have Perfect Cleared the 33rd Floor: 1]
[You are the only one!]
[Universe Announcement]
[Please celebrate, citizens of the universe! A Perfect Player of the 33rd Floor has appeared. This is a feat that no one has ever achieved before!]
[Feat +7]
[The Victors take a strong interest in your existence. Some wish to bring you to their side.]
[The Losers are highly wary of your existence. Some are moving to eliminate you.]
“Phew.”
Back on Earth, Kang Jun-hyeok sat on the edge of his bed. Seeing the final system window, he let out a short, dry laugh.
“They sure are nosy.”
[It’s only natural,] the Master of All Weapons murmured with amusement. [You blocked a God’s sincere strike. Even if his power was suppressed… it is still a feat bordering on the impossible for a mortal. They will move even more aggressively now. This is getting interesting.]
In contrast, Eldiria was still consumed by worry.
[Jun-hyeok. You almost died.]
“It’s a bit late for that. I almost died because of you too, remember?”
When he first met Eldiria, she had genuinely tried to kill him. Recalling that memory, she fell silent for a moment.
[…Still, you should be more careful. Proceeding like this is far too dangerous.]
“It is dangerous, but it’s necessary.”
Only by risking his life could he obtain perfect rewards. In his past life, he had never backed down in the face of death. It was only when one put their life on the line that truly valuable rewards were earned.
And the proof was right in front of him.
Despite leveling up only once, his Health had increased by 100. Furthermore, his stats had risen by more than 5 points each—an increase close to the theoretical maximum.
On top of that, the mastery of skills that hadn't budged until now had jumped entire ranks. In the case of Boundary of Death Awakening, it had leaped two ranks forward.
* * *
[Passive Skill: Boundary of Death Awakening]
• Rank: Mid-Rank
• Mastery: D
• Description: The awakening of life upon reaching the brink of death. In a life-threatening crisis, the mind is tempered and senses are expanded. As consciousness expands, all power and speed increase significantly. Time slows down, and thought processes become infinitely faster. Allows the user to reach a realm normally unattainable.
* * *
Boundary of Death Awakening only activated when one reached the threshold of death. Every single one of Numberless’s attacks had been enough to kill him instantly.
Thanks to that, a skill notoriously difficult to level up had reached Rank D in a heartbeat. Now, in a crisis, not only would time slow down, but he could reach a higher realm of power. It was essentially an elevation of his very status.
* * *
[True Ancestor Awakening]
• Rank: Authority
• Mastery: E
• Cooldown: 3 days
• Description: Awaken as a true True Ancestor for 30 seconds. All Health is restored, and all stats increase. Gain near-absolute dominance over blood.
* * *
As True Ancestor Awakening reached Rank E, its duration increased from 10 seconds to 30 seconds—a three-fold increase. It was now a much more reliable trump card.
* * *
[Active Skill: Single Point Penetration]
• Rank: High-Rank
• Mastery: E
• Cooldown: 24 hours
• Description: Dash instantly toward a single point and pierce it with devastating force. Deals a powerful shockwave even if the opponent defends.
[Active Skill: Block]
• Rank: Low-Rank
• Mastery: C
• Cooldown: 10 minutes
• Description: Defend against an opponent's attack. Can block most attacks, even those beyond the player's normal capacity. Defense increases by approximately 200% upon activation.
* * *
Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes gleamed. Single Point Penetration’s growth was expected, but the Block skill had undergone a massive transformation at Rank C. Specifically, the fact that his defense now doubled the moment the skill was activated.
To be honest, defensive skills had been somewhat situational until now. While they could block attacks beyond his capacity, they hadn't felt particularly special. But now that it provided a raw statistical boost to his defense, its versatility had widened significantly.
“I used up all my gems, so it better be this good,” Kang Jun-hyeok said, satisfied.
This alone was a massive haul, but the Perfect Clear rewards were the real prizes.
* * *
[Spear of the End]
• Slot: Weapon
• Rank: Unique
• Stats: Attack Power +100
• Description: A holy relic of Numberless, the God of Counts. A spear that heralds the end of all things.
* * *
“Whoa.”
Kang Jun-hyeok let out an involuntary exclamation. A spear with 100 Attack Power. It was equipment on the same level as the treasures he had seen in the Blacksmith’s armory. He laughed joyfully.
“It was worth losing the Shield of Diffuse Reflection for this.”
Next was the active skill. This was likely the true masterpiece of the rewards. With high expectations, Kang Jun-hyeok opened his skill window.
* * *
[Active Skill: Reset]
• Rank: Authority
• Cooldown: Proportional to the cooldown of the skill being reset.
• Description: Resets the cooldown of a designated skill. Skills that can be reset are Lowest-Grade, Low-Rank, Mid-Rank, and High-Rank.
* * *
“…Hmm?”
Kang Jun-hyeok paused. He couldn't quite wrap his head around it at first. It wasn't that the explanation was difficult; it was that it defied the common sense of the Tower. As he reread it, his eyes widened.
“A cooldown reset skill? Holy shit.”
He cursed reflexively. It was a skill that demanded such a reaction. The "cost" of a powerful skill was usually its cooldown. That cooldown was supposed to be absolute. Once used, a skill was gone until the timer hit zero. They were trump cards to be used with extreme caution.
And he could now completely reset them.
Even with the rank limitation, it was an utterly broken ability. There was one more reason Kang Jun-hyeok was stunned.
“Can a God even give something like this?”
This was a skill that directly interfered with the System itself. It felt far too alien to be a God’s Authority. Even in his past life, he had never seen a God grant such a power.
[Numberless entered the Tower through a contract,] the Master of All Weapons explained. [It is possible for him to mold the form of his Authority to fit the System. However, almost no one ever does it.]
“Because of pride?”
[To Gods, an Authority is a manifestation of the concept they govern. Remodeling it to fit the standards of the Victors is something they find humiliating. It means Numberless saw that much value in you.]
“Well, I’ll be.”
It was unexpected, but it was a massive boon. The value of a cooldown reset was beyond words. Furthermore, the Perfect Player title now gave him +1 Divine Power.
Having finished his check, Kang Jun-hyeok stretched contentedly.
“Very good.”
It was more than worth risking his life for. And finally...
“Void Heaven Power Dissipation. What exactly is this?”
[You should have a feel for it by now.]
“I have a hunch, but I’m not certain.”
[It is simple. You empty your internal energy and accept power itself into your Dantian. Then, you make it vanish into nothingness within your mortal body.]
“Is it a technique close to nullification?”
[Physical attacks are impossible to stop this way, but attacks made of internal energy or mana can be erased almost perfectly. It is a form that can only be used when your Dantian is completely empty. To be honest, I thought it would be impossible for you; it is a technique that usually requires a high level of enlightenment.]
“The way Faded Heaven Supreme used to talk came to mind.”
Life is like a swaying floating weed. You come empty-handed and leave empty-handed.
The moment those words had surfaced in his mind, he had gained an insight. That man had truly given him so much.
Though it required an empty Dantian, once the condition was met, he could even erase the sincere strike of a God. It was a formidable nullification technique. Kang Jun-hyeok let out a hollow laugh.
“All sorts of things are possible. Is this even really martial arts anymore?”
[Martial arts are incredibly profound. Their depth is like the universe itself. Even I have only just dipped my toes in.]
Next, Kang Jun-hyeok called Pixie. Having read his memories of the floor, she wore a bizarre expression.
[…You’re actually still alive. You madman.]
She looked at him with a mix of admiration, shock, and the wariness one might show a strange monster.
[400 Starlight.]
Receiving the Starlight, he looked satisfied. This floor had given him everything he needed. However, he had consumed all his gems in the process.
I should restock at least once.
Kang Jun-hyeok picked up his phone. After a few rings, the person on the other end answered hurriedly.
—K-Kang Jun-hyeok? What is it?
“It’s nothing much, I just have a favor to ask. Ms. Olivia.”
Kang Jun-hyeok spoke leisurely, a small smile on his face.