Chapter 197: The First Universe Quest (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197: The First Universe Quest (7)
“Why is he looking at me like that?” Kang Jun-hyeok muttered, feeling a prickle of discomfort.
At some point, a strange emotion had begun to well up in Tuvalt’s eyes as he watched him. It was something that could only be described as pure respect. Eldiria spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
[You have displayed overwhelming power. You pinpointed that boy’s flaws with surgical precision and demonstrated the leadership to command the masses. Is it not natural for him to look up to you?]
“When you put it that way, I suppose you’re right.”
Kang Jun-hyeok knew the Tuvalt of his past life all too well.
That man was someone who would sooner despise and ignore others than ever show a shred of respect. The reason was simple.
In his past life, Tuvalt had gone a long time without ever hitting a wall. His talent was peerless, and no one could dispute it. He had reigned like a literal king.
That hadn't changed even after the universe opened. His talent was truly remarkable; even across the vastness of the entire universe, it was difficult to find a genius who surpassed him. As a result, no one had ever been in a position to offer Tuvalt criticism or advice.
That period of unchecked arrogance had lasted for several hundred years.
He had become an old man while still possessing the temperament of a spoiled child. And as the years pass, stubbornness only grows more rigid. By the time he realized there was a fundamental problem with his methods, it was already too late. Tuvalt had hardened to the point where he could no longer change.
However, the current Tuvalt was still young.
He wasn't even twenty yet, placing him in a state just before his values and ideologies fully solidified. Because of that, when a figure as formidable as Kang Jun-hyeok appeared, he was deeply moved.
It was a variable that even Kang Jun-hyeok hadn't anticipated.
‘I guess it’s not a bad thing.’
“Kang Jun-hyeok. What should we do now?”
Seeing that Tuvalt—the man who used to be arrogant beyond belief—following his lead so submissively with eyes full of respect gave him the creeps.
But on second thought, it wasn't a bad development. Tuvalt’s personality had been a major wildcard. With that resolved, things would proceed much more smoothly.
“Let’s keep going.”
The Black Beings began to be eliminated one by one.
There were a total of two hundred thousand Players here. If they grouped up in squads of twenty and handled five creatures a day, they could clear all the Black Beings within twenty days.
Of course, various variables made it difficult to maintain that exact speed, but as the twenty days passed, the number of Black Beings decreased noticeably. Vibraham let out constant exclamations of admiration.
[Truly remarkable. You might actually defeat them all within the time limit. A million Black Beings is a force that could sweep through the entire universe.]
A million powerhouses at the peak of the First Rank. It was no exaggeration to say they could destroy dozens of planets. They were currently systematically disposing of such enemies. Kang Jun-hyeok shook his head.
“It is all thanks to you, Lord Vibraham.”
This achievement was only possible because Vibraham had deployed the Guardian Barrier, filtering in only as many as the Players could handle. If they had fought them head-on, even someone as strong as Kang Jun-hyeok would have been swept away by the sheer tide of numbers. Vibraham laughed at his humility.
[Even so, what is impressive is impressive. Above all, you produced visible results by utilizing Players who are clearly lower in Rank than the Black Beings… It is as if you know exactly how to deal with them.]
How to face the Black Beings. How to station personnel to handle them without casualties. What their specific weaknesses were.
Kang Jun-hyeok knew all of it. It wasn't a matter of intuition or prediction. It was a method of response forged in the fires of experience.
[I am becoming even more curious about what kind of man you are.]
[We feel the same way. He is a man of many secrets.]
The Master of All Weapons agreed with Vibraham’s sentiment.
More time passed, and finally, the number of Black Beings covering the planet dwindled to the tens of thousands. In contrast, the casualties among the Players were few enough to count on one's fingers.
It was a miraculous achievement.
It was a moment when the Players didn't doubt for a second that they could achieve a Perfect Clear.
“…Huh?”
“What are they doing?”
The remaining Black Beings stopped charging and began to cluster together. They compressed and crushed into one another, writhing in a bizarre, grotesque fashion.
Tens of thousands of Black Beings began to merge into one.
Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue.
“Right. It couldn't be that easy.”
Black Beings were foolish and dull. Their learning ability was so slow that if they hit a wall, they would keep ramming it until they or the wall broke. However, when they were driven to the brink of annihilation, they triggered their final resort.
All the remaining Black Beings became one.
Cr-cr-cr-crunch.
The forms of the Black Beings twisted and snapped as if being forcibly crushed by a hydraulic press. And finally, they became a single, perfect entity.
“…It’s dark.”
The Black Being that emerged was incredibly dark. It was a shade that looked as if it would swallow all the light in the world. Even the weakest Player could tell.
That thing was dangerous.
The Black Being looked at the Guardian Barrier and took a single step forward. In that instant, its form vanished. Tuvalt’s eyes widened.
‘I lost track of—’
Before the thought could finish, the Black Being’s fist slammed into the barrier.
BOOOOM!
An intense shockwave exploded. The sheer force of the impact reached the inside of the barrier, shaking the very earth. Players screamed as they were thrown to the ground.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Black Being swung its fists repeatedly. Tuvalt hurriedly summoned his weapons and launched them.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Black Being didn't even bother to defend. The weapons struck its body and were deflected away like toothpicks. Tuvalt was horrified.
“Holy crap!”
[Roughly ten thousand Black Beings have merged. That thing is strong. In terms of pure power, it would be in the upper tiers of the Second Rank. However, that is as far as it goes. No matter how much it rages, it cannot break my barrier.]
Vibraham spoke calmly. Indeed, although the Black Being was pounding the barrier like a madman, the shield only vibrated; not a single crack appeared.
[You all have done well enough. You reduced a number that was close to a million down to this. You may spend the remaining time resting comfortably.]
In his past life, they had only managed to kill about a thousand Black Beings at most during the first Universe Quest. Back then, since he was weak, his personal limit had been two or three.
Compared to then, this was an achievement on a completely different dimension. It was enough to be satisfied with.
However.
“Do I look like the type to do that?”
[I suppose not.]
Vibraham let out a chuckle.
[Go then, Player who has been granted qualification. Prove your strength. If you succeed in defeating even that, I shall bestow my Grace upon you.]
“I’ll hold you to that promise.”
Kang Jun-hyeok drew his dagger. He walked past the Players toward the edge of the barrier. Tuvalt gasped.
“K-Kang Jun-hyeok. Are you planning to fight that thing?”
“Watch closely, Tuvalt. Watch what a Player is truly capable of.”
Tuvalt fell silent and nodded. Kang Jun-hyeok left him behind and stepped outside the barrier. Countless Players watched him in breathless silence.
The Black Being, which had been violently pounding the barrier, stopped its assault.
Creeeak.
Its head turned, and its gaze fixed on Kang Jun-hyeok.
Instantly, his senses tingled. He could feel the killing intent radiating from its gaze alone. Boundary of Death Awakening was activated. It meant the opponent was an existence capable of killing him in a single blow.
It was strong.
He tightened his grip on his dagger, sharpening his already keen senses even further. He took absolute control of his body and the surrounding environment.
Kang Jun-hyeok beckoned with his finger.
“Come at me.”
[Judgment of the Law.]
* * *
The Black Being lacked the intelligence to understand human speech. However, it had enough instinct to infer meaning from attitudes and movements. The Black Being put strength into its legs.
BOOM!
The earth exploded. None of the Players could track the Black Being’s movement. Except for one person—Kang Jun-hyeok.
KABOOM!
A powerful fist grazed the side of Kang Jun-hyeok’s head. Even though it missed, the shockwave rattled his brain.
‘If that lands a direct hit, half my health is gone.’
Whoosh!
The Black Being pulled back its other fist and lunged. It was an incredibly fast and powerful attack. If he waited to see it before dodging, it would be too late. He steadied his breathing, controlling and predicting the flow of the battle. He read the trajectory of the fist and twisted his body in advance.
BAM!
The fist struck empty air once again. The aftermath exploded outward, battering the barrier.
Diving straight into its reach, Kang Jun-hyeok drove his dagger into its chest.
Screeeech!
But it didn't pierce. Like a nail scratching a steel plate, only the surface was ground away. Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue.
‘It’s sturdy on top of everything else.’
Whoosh!
A leg swept toward him. He activated a skill to evade the unavoidable speed.
[Rift Movement.]
Swish.
He shifted to the other side. Before he could even catch his breath, the distance closed again. The Black Being rushed in an instant and threw a punch.
KABOOM!
He twisted his head, narrowly evading the strike.
He focused his mind on the pouring attacks and controlled his senses. He dodged the blows by a hair’s breadth and delivered a counter.
[Thrust.]
CLANG!
With a violent clashing sound, Kang Jun-hyeok’s body was pushed back. A small laceration had appeared on the Black Being’s body where the Thrust had connected.
“Even this isn't enough?”
Despite landing a proper counter, it was difficult to deal significant damage. He would likely only be able to inflict real wounds with his high-rank skills or Authorities.
It was a monster with strength that made allowing even a single hit impossible, speed that was barely dodgeable, and immense durability. It was an opponent that held the advantage in every aspect.
This was the power of a Black Being formed from ten thousand individuals. That power belonged to the upper tiers of the Second Rank.
Kang Jun-hyeok was currently at the Second Rank, but his level was around the middle tier. Even within the same Rank, there were clear gaps. In a normal situation, it was a formidable enemy with almost no chance of victory.
But he was a Player. He was not an ordinary being.
And his opponent was a Victor.
They were beings he had faced thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of times—beings he had buried. He had faced gaps of this magnitude countless times before.
And he was here now because he had triumphed over all of them.
“This is doable.”
THUMP!
The Black Being charged again. Kang Jun-hyeok lowered his stance. He pushed his senses beyond their limits, taking perfect command of the Aura circulating within his body.
Narrowly evading the lunging fist, he drove his Aura-shimmering dagger deep into the Black Being’s neck.