Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Tournament Rules Revealed
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Another detail of the tournament rules had been revealed.
Choosing between 2-person, 4-person, or 16-person participation formats.
This meant not everyone would fight one-on-one.
Obviously, since it was a tournament, it wouldn't be team battles. It was more like choosing how many opponents you'd face in individual matches.
I'd assumed it was a standard tournament, but it was a bit different.
And the timing for making that choice was unexpected too.
The fact that it announced the choice could be made at the start of each round, not the event itself...
That meant you could switch formats between rounds.
And it confirmed there was a preliminary round separate from the main tournament.
Still, there were plenty of uncertainties.
Would the system really allow killing in the tournament?
If it did, only one winner would survive, which made no sense.
There had to be forfeits or some other mechanism.
But...
In this transcendent world, where it was hard to gauge strength just by looks...
Matches would likely end in one strike for fools who didn't forfeit out of ignorance.
Unless they revealed rankings beforehand.
If killing was truly allowed...
For me, going with 16-person battles would be best.
It was a prime chance to sweep up experience and Soul Origins.
Logically, though, most others probably wouldn't pick 16-person.
Regular folks could advance through just one-on-ones, no need for more.
Even rankers might avoid it, figuring only masochists like me would show up—meaning it'd be packed with top-tier threats.
Who besides the absolute elite would choose it, confident they could wipe everyone?
Once my thoughts veered that way, I stopped speculating.
Today's info was all there was, and I'd chewed it over enough.
Any more would just be delusion.
I checked the community just in case, but no one had dug this deep.
Shaking off idle thoughts, I focused on the hunt at hand.
Truth be told, I didn't even need to concentrate.
With Grasp Complete's effect, hunting was basically auto-mode.
Just moments ago, I'd been swinging my magic sword fiercely, massacring goblins from Zone 3.
It felt like my body was moving on its own—optimal paths, the blade slicing monsters like a magnet drawn to iron.
Thanks to that, I had plenty of mental bandwidth for other thoughts while farming.
Before starting my second Zone 4 run, I considered trying a different route.
One of the five canyon paths to the castle, but not yesterday's.
The result? Identical. Monster types, numbers, terrain layout—all the same.
Each path was just a different starting point on the single route to the castle.
I tested my new power, [Unique Cataclysm Flame], as I pushed through the canyon.
With my stats breaking 50, my demigod strength had leaped to another level—one punch wiped out an entire skeleton pack.
I also used skills whenever their cooldowns reset.
From yesterday's run, I knew all the risks and mana distribution needs.
No need to hold back now.
Hunting speed surged, but the canyon was still long.
It took considerable time before I finally reached the castle.
After killing the gatekeepers the same way as yesterday...
I rang the castle gate bell, summoning every skeleton.
A trumpet blast shook the fortress, and hundreds of skeletons charged, kicking up dust.
But I didn't fight them the same as in the canyon.
Facing the horde, I held back Domain and Divine Charge, relying solely on raw physical prowess and swordsmanship.
As bones shattered and turned to dust...
The moment I'd waited for arrived.
Strength and Mana stats broke past 50, triggering second and third tier shifts simultaneously.
I'd prepared for this, holding off skills and letting them close in.
Now, unleashing the surging power, I poured everything into the skeleton legion.
'Domain.'
'Divine Charge.'
A brilliant meteor and golden flash swept the battlefield.
Nothing stood intact afterward.
In the now monster-free space, I quietly focused on the tier shift.
Thankfully, having experienced it once, it wasn't as bad as yesterday—no blackout. Just a bit stronger than a normal awakening.
I sensed the change nearing completion.
The overflowing Strength and Mana settled.
And deep within, the crimson-black aura of Unique Cataclysm Flame burned clearer.
Then, an unexpected system message appeared.
Adjusted? What did that mean?
I pulled up the achievements window, scrolling through them—no changes.
Then I glanced at the top status bar and spotted the anomaly.
[Transcendence Lv.37]
Alignment: X
Tier: [0 Tier - Unique Cataclysm Flame]
Unique Ability: [Universal Resistance]
Skills: [Domain 3rd Grade], [Demi-God Body 3rd Grade], [Grasp Complete 2nd Grade], [Precision Enhancement 2nd Grade], [Wave Strike 1st Grade], [Origin Extraction 2nd Grade], [Divine Charge 2nd Grade], [Mana Utilization 1st Grade], [King's Intimidation 1st Grade] (Item)
[Permanent Side Effect: Body Fracture]
Defense was only at 50.5.
After leveling up, it should've hit at least 51.
I furrowed my brow briefly, then regained composure.
'I'll sort out Zone 4 first, then think about it. Time's always short.'
I entered the castle to finish the hunt.
Clearing the interior skeletons went just like yesterday.
Twisted layout, endless elite spawns. But I'd mapped it already.
Following the optimal route, I massacred them with overwhelming force.
Facing the two massive skeletons before the boss room again...
Killing them triggered another level-up surge.
The message appeared again.
Pausing before the boss room, I checked status once more.
Like Defense, Strength and Mana's achievement bonuses had dropped from +1 to +0.5.
Just as I'd suspected.
Above 50 stats, achievement effects halved for sure.
Growth hitting a brake.
I gave a wry smile and entered the boss room.
But it was empty.
Only a massive greatsword stabbed in the center—no Skeleton Champion.
Instead, a new system message greeted me.
No wonder the boss reward yesterday was so generous compared to prior monsters.
Carrying double disappointment, I exited Zone 4.
On the way back, I got a report from Siron.
Nothing unusual today. I cleared remaining monsters in Zones 3 and 2.
Skipped training and headed straight to town.
My level was now 38.
Time to visit somewhere.
Level 37 restriction. Dimension 64's fortune teller NPC.
I qualified to talk now.
"Tomorrow, we kill everyone. Have you all memorized the plan?"
The three who heard it wore dark expressions.
They'd done plenty of inhuman deeds before.
But even for them, this felt like crossing a line.
Even having killed before.
Kawals, who'd proposed the massacre yesterday, shouted irritably.
"What're those faces? If you wanted to object, you should've said so yesterday!"
"Having second thoughts now?"
"To keep ruling this dimension, this is essential!! It's obvious!"
His bloodshot-eyed frenzy cowed the other three.
The expensive inn's 4th floor was soundproof from outsiders.
Eventually, they gave in completely, joining to refine the plan's details.
This Dimension 24 revolved around the four who'd arrived Day 1.
Unlike others, latecomers got no chances—just slavery.
No room for new elites. One of the few such dimensions.
Slaves only cleared quests, naturally breeding rebels.
The four, believing might makes right, maintained order via executions.
But could such selfish folks lack greater ambitions?
All four plotted to kill the others for true dominion. They just hadn't voiced it.
Intense mutual suspicion eroded control.
Slaves grew secretly, uniting, awaiting the flip.
The four noticed the shift gradually.
By yesterday, Kawals confirmed a united front could beat them, centering the massacre plan on himself.
Yet even they foresaw brutal execution.
Massacres weren't their invention, though. Group-dominated dimensions had tried it.
Only Oh Heon had soloed one.
In the village square used as a meeting hall...
Three reps debated heatedly on the makeshift stage.
Dozens around held their breath, listening.
"Limiting monster kills by level is unfair! Shouldn't effort equal reward?"
The youngest rep raised his voice.
Some high-levelers nodded.
The eldest countered calmly.
"Calm down. This is for everyone's good. Resources are finite; otherwise, mutual destruction."
Her persuasion fell flat.
The other rep, a young man, stepped in.
"But that leaves low-levels with no growth forever. Guaranteeing basics now helps us all."
He continued.
"Why not tier limits by zone? Free rein in Zone 3, restrictions in 1 and 2 by level—a compromise."
People across levels nodded.
Next issue: high-levels mentoring lows per old rules.
"High-level burdens are too much. Hunting's tough enough—how long do we babysit newbies?"
"Abandon them, and our dimension weakens overall. We must help till they can fight."
Opinions flew from all sides.
Reps listened, polling lows too.
This dimension wasn't high-level tyranny. Highs guided lows out of duty.
Their effort for equality.
"Then, raise high-level threshold from 10 to 12? Fewer responsibilities..."
His idea didn't satisfy all.
Meeting ended fruitlessly.
Dissatisfied murmurs as they dispersed.
High-levelers griped loudest.
That night, their core group met secretly.
"Reps are just vote-ins acting superior. Sick of it."
A man clicked his tongue.
"Yeah, campaigning like pros."
"Can't go on. Reps are all idealists."
"Why share our hard-earned gains with weaklings?"
Amid gripes, one murmured low.
"Then we change it."
All eyes turned.
"This structure, to favor us."
The Lord sat in his inn chair, coldly scanning the community window.
He ruled his dimension absolutely.
Other village factions existed, but none dared irk him.
His rank: 5th.
Dropped from before, but he didn't care.
His gaze fixed solely on one: the Sword King.
'Hypocrite bastard.'
Community still hailed Sword King as a hero.
His selfless info shares and upright words won support.
The Lord saw it all as vile pretense.
He decried power logic while savoring it most.
Ignoring his rank's proof, people trusted him.
This tournament was prime to strip the facade.
Show the power gap,
End the shallow community hype, shift to rank-based respect.
To him, community wasn't mere info swap.
It'd become intertwined with reality—a new power.
Couldn't yield it to hypocrites like Sword King.
The Lord anticipated tomorrow: tournament day, mask-ripping time.
"Sword King. We need to talk."
A sharp-featured man in his late 30s said entering the 2nd-floor inn room.
The man by the window, gazing out, turned slowly.
"Even indoors, no nicknames, please."
His voice was low and steady.
A chill vibe, unlike his community's upright, staunch image.