Chapter 91: The Second Test (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: The Second Test (6)
Yulsir, the God of Law.
He had once offered Kang Jun-hyeok an Apostle's Contract.
Jun-hyeok had refused, but Yulsir had remained persistent until the very end. Eventually, Kang Jun-hyeok had made a single counter-proposal:
He would bring the god a mortal who perfectly suited his tastes.
After some deliberation, Yulsir had accepted.
Now, it was time to clear that quest. As Kang Jun-hyeok strode across the plains with purpose, the Master of All Weapons spoke up:
[What are you looking for?]
"I think it’s time I fulfilled Yulsir’s request. I have a feeling he’s about to lose his patience."
[Yulsir’s quest, is it?]
The Master of All Weapons understood immediately.
[However, it will not be easy to find a mortal who meets her standards.]
"I suppose so."
Gods presided over their own concepts. Among them, Yulsir was particularly obsessed with her own.
To put it into perspective: one could only qualify as a believer after memorizing the Book of Law—a tome three times thicker than a standard legal code, packed with text the size of ants.
[It is an impossible task for an ordinary human. You must find someone who is foolish yet blindly devoted to a god, someone who accepts irrationality, and yet possesses exceptional talent.]
It was like searching for a needle in a desert.
But that didn't matter to Kang Jun-hyeok. He had the memories of his past life. After wandering the plains for a while, Jun-hyeok spotted his target.
The man stood nearly two meters tall with a physique to match, though his expression seemed somewhat dim-witted.
'Found him.'
Kang Jun-hyeok approached the man with a faint smile.
* * *
The man’s name was Kim Ha-young.
He was a Player who had just cleared the 10th Floor.
Kim Ha-young was massive, possessing a fierce aura that made others hesitate to cross him. He had grown up in an ordinary family and lived an ordinary life; on the surface, there was nothing remarkable about him.
If there was one thing that set him apart, it was his pathologically low self-esteem.
He never trusted himself and constantly belittled his own worth. He solved this internal crisis by surrendering his sense of self to others.
As a child, it was the friend who acted as the class leader; as an adult, it was the CEOs of successful corporations. He projected his ego onto various prominent figures.
In itself, this wasn't particularly unique. It was common enough for those with low self-esteem to rely on others. However, the intensity of his devotion was borderline inhuman.
He literally gave them his everything.
He researched and memorized every detail about the person he chose to follow. It was practically stalking. He organized and recorded every gesture and every quote, exalting them as gospel.
As he aged, this trait only grew more severe.
When the Tower appeared and the world was turned upside down, the person he chose to follow was Yu Jin-ha.
Yu Jin-ha was truly perfect. Not only was he the strongest Player, but his conduct was elegant. He was considerate of others and gave his all to save the world. Kim Ha-young began to devote himself to the man. It went beyond mere reliance; it was closer to worship.
But that perfection had been shattered during the Second Test.
An even greater perfection had emerged.
A being truly like a god.
Kang Jun-hyeok had appeared.
Kim Ha-young muttered with glazed eyes. "Ah... Kang Jun-hyeok... nim."
"Were you calling for me?"
Kim Ha-young jumped at the voice coming from behind him. He spun around awkwardly, his eyes widening.
"K-Kang Jun-hyeok-nim?"
The great god himself. Kang Jun-hyeok had appeared before him. Jun-hyeok looked at him and thought, 'It’s been a while.'
Kim Ha-young.
In the past, he had been a very ordinary Player. He climbed the Tower at a decent pace and grew strong enough, but he was the kind of person who existed everywhere—someone who would be forgotten without ever drawing attention.
But he had one peculiarity.
He had sacrificed everything for Yu Jin-ha. He had observed Yu Jin-ha’s every move and eventually published a book detailing the man's entire journey.
'Was the title The Great Footsteps of Yu Jin-ha?'
It was a book that recorded every action and assigned profound meaning to each one. It was the work that had suddenly thrust the ordinary Kim Ha-young into the spotlight. Kang Jun-hyeok had tried to read it once, but he had closed it before even finishing the first page.
The size of that book was twice the thickness of a legal code.
It was roughly the same size as Yulsir’s Book of Law.
Foolish and dull, yet a blindly devoted madman. That was the essence of Kim Ha-young.
"Mr. Kim Ha-young, correct?"
"Yes, yes!"
Kim Ha-young’s eyes went wide as he nodded frantically. Kang Jun-hyeok—this great being—actually knew his name!
"I have a proposal. Are you interested?"
"Of course! I'll do anything you say!"
A god was making a direct proposal to him! Kim Ha-young felt like his brain was about to melt from the dopamine. Kang Jun-hyeok spoke to him calmly.
Upon hearing the proposal, Kim Ha-young’s eyes turned into saucers. Soon, he began to nod his head violently.
* * *
"Ah, ahhh. Aaaaaah!"
Kim Ha-young trembled on his knees. Right now, the will of the great Yulsir was taking root in his mind. For an ordinary person, the pressure would feel like their mind was being incinerated, but Kim Ha-young’s face was filled with pure ecstasy.
[Hidden Quest Cleared.]
[Yulsir is satisfied.]
[Rewards are being distributed.]
[Proficiency in 'Judgment of the Law' has increased from F to D.]
[You have obtained the weapon: Dagger of Law Enforcement.]
Kang Jun-hyeok checked the rewards.
[Active Skill: Judgment of the Law]
• Rank: Authority
• Proficiency: D
• Cooldown: 24 hours
• Effect: If the target does not follow Yulsir’s Law, all their speeds are reduced by 20%.
The speed reduction had increased from 10% to 20%.
Kang Jun-hyeok whistled at the absurdly high value. With this skill alone, he could drag an opponent of a higher status down to his level.
[Dagger of Law Enforcement]
• Type: Weapon
• Rank: Mid-Rank
• Attack Power: +33
• Description: A dagger used to punish heretics who do not follow Yulsir’s Law. Originally pure white, it has turned a crimson hue from being stained by the blood of countless heretics.
The dagger’s attack power was also quite high at 33. Kang Jun-hyeok happily stowed away the rewards.
"Then, I look forward to your progress as a believer of Lady Yulsir, Mr. Kim Ha-young."
"Ah, ah... ah..."
The prostrate Kim Ha-young twitched and shivered, his face the very picture of rapture.
For someone like him, who lived to worship and follow, the goddess Yulsir was the perfect object of devotion. For the man who had authored Yu Jin-ha’s scripture, memorizing Yulsir’s Book of Law would be child's play.
"This is what you call a win-win."
He had cleared his quest, Kim Ha-young had found the object of worship he so desperately craved, and Yulsir had gained a believer. It was a perfect ending. The Master of All Weapons let out a short laugh.
[Even I have not seen many madmen of this caliber. Yulsir, that picky fellow, will surely be satisfied. To think you found such a person.]
"We had a connection."
Kang Jun-hyeok looked down at Kim Ha-young.
Kim Ha-young, the madman who gave everything to Yu Jin-ha. That was the extent of his reputation in the past. He gained attention by writing a book, but in the end, he had died pointlessly while climbing the Tower. He had failed to utilize his own abnormality.
But now, because Kang Jun-hyeok had given him a chance, he had become Yulsir’s believer. How would he change compared to the past life? How would Kim Ha-young move forward now?
'...Come to think of it.'
Kim Ha-young wasn't the only believer of Yulsir. In his past life, there was one believer who used to grieve, unable to understand why so few people served the Goddess of Law. That person was always preaching the Law to others, talking their ears off. She did it so much that Kang Jun-hyeok had ended up understanding Yulsir’s Law perfectly.
Kang Jun-hyeok smirked.
'Things will be a bit less annoying this life.'
Three days passed. Finally, the window announcing the end of the trial appeared.
[The Second Test has ended.]
[Second Test Grade Evaluation.]
[...]
[Grade: EX-Rank]
[Incredible! You have reached an evaluation grade unique among all Players in the universe.]
[Universe Announcement]
[Please offer your congratulations! A Player has achieved the highest grade in the test. This is a one-of-a-kind feat. We hope you all follow his example and continue to climb the Tower diligently!]
[A special reward befitting your magnificent achievement will be granted.]
[Please select one of the following rewards:]
1. Gold befitting your grade.
2. Unique equipment just for you.
3. A Unique Skill just for you.
4. A very special material item.
The same EX grade as before. It was expected, so he wasn't surprised. Kang Jun-hyeok stroked his chin.
'What should I pick this time?'
He could choose a Unique Skill again, just like before. Or, since he now had a Blacksmith NPC, he could choose a material item. Just as Kang Jun-hyeok was lost in happy deliberation—
Crack!
The space suddenly split open, and the Administrator appeared.
"Hey there! Kang Jun-hyeok!"
"Hello, Administrator."
"Aww, why so stiff? Just be casual with me! Casual!"
The Administrator burst into a boisterous laugh and slapped Jun-hyeok on the back. Kang Jun-hyeok just smiled silently.
"What brings you here?"
"...Still so formal. It’s nothing much. It’s just that you’ve entertained me quite a bit, you see?"
There was deep favor in the Administrator’s eyes as she looked at Kang Jun-hyeok.
"So, I’m going to give you one more option."
"An option?"
Kang Jun-hyeok looked puzzled. The Administrator wagged a finger.
"Your Feat Stat is... 75? That’s incredibly high."
Feat Stats were earned when a Player achieved something others wouldn't dare to attempt. Kang Jun-hyeok had achieved a Perfect Clear on every floor, and as a result, it was the highest among all his stats. The Administrator nodded in admiration.
"With this much, I can open it up for you. It’s a bit of an arbitrary decision... but it should be fine."
"What are you opening up?"
"See for yourself!"
The Administrator grinned and spread her arms. A system window appeared before Kang Jun-hyeok.
[Please select one of the following rewards:]
1. Gold befitting your grade.
2. Unique equipment just for you.
3. A Unique Skill just for you.
4. A very special material item.
5. A passage leading to one of the Losers.
[What?]
"...!"
The Master of All Weapons was taken aback. Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes widened as he looked at the Administrator. The entity spoke with a beaming smile.
"The leftovers scattered across the universe—those who put in useless, vain efforts for nothing. But to you lot, they have great value! I’ll open a passage to one of them! This is a special benefit given only to you and no one else!"