Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Chapter 24: Achievements (2)
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It was just a tiny mutter, but the eyes of everyone around me snapped toward me.
Instead of looking back at them, I delved deeper into my thoughts.
‘Gold Badge criteria is ten million.’
Once I reached Gold Badge, I’d be able to crush a 5-star evolved species with pure physical strength alone.
Having experienced the difference of one rank firsthand, I was certain.
Even at Silver Badge, I could match the physical capabilities of 4th and 5th ranks.
Climbing to Gold would make me equal to even higher evolved species.
‘Maybe I could even take on a General-grade?’
This game’s difficulty was relatively consistent and precise.
The monster levels players had to face were systematically divided by player rank.
So, the hypothesis floating in my mind had a certain degree of validity.
Now it was time to assess whether this method could actually be realized.
‘How can I gather enough mana?’
One way was to use the auction function.
If I could pull in mana through that, reaching Gold Badge promotion was entirely possible.
But that was just theoretical—it wasn’t feasible.
‘Need an additional nine million mana...’
Could I realistically gather that much mana with help from other Players in this situation, with the main scenario in full swing?
‘No.’
It wasn’t one or two million—it was a whopping nine million.
No amount of one or two people helping could fill that.
The more people I had to convince, the lower the chances of success without variables.
On top of that, mana usable in shops or auctions had to be purified.
If they lent me all their purified mana, the other Players would be left with only contaminated mana.
‘Their Chaos Value would skyrocket.’
Not many would lend it knowing that.
‘Betas like Ethan or Lily are free from such constraints, but there aren’t enough of them.’
Even without that, how many would lend mana they’d sweated blood to absorb to someone else?
‘I wouldn’t lend mine to anyone right now.’
In the end, procuring mana via auction lacked too much realism.
I needed another way.
As I pondered, an item buried deep in my inventory flickered in my mind.
After a brief hesitation, I pulled it out.
[Karos's Authority 1-Time Use Ticket]
It was a reward from back when I didn’t even know what was happening in Bihar.
‘I’ve been saving it because it’s so rare.’
The Karos Church had fewer priests and holy knights compared to other churches.
Even among them, receiving divine blessings was nearly impossible.
That’s why I’d held onto it without using it.
But I couldn’t save it now, when my life hung by a thread.
I gripped the ticket tightly, wrestling with the decision.
‘Karos's Authority is more like an exchange.’
At its core, it was a structure that created something by sacrificing misfortune.
‘I have no idea why this power is tied to the doctrine of kindness.’
I’d nearly gotten a three-hour sermon on doctrine after asking, so I quickly shelved the question.
I still didn’t know why it symbolized kindness.
But I knew Karos's Authority could help overcome this crisis.
‘The misfortune defined by Karos's Authority depends on the user’s subjective judgment.’
In other words, it lacked objectivity.
That was both its greatest flaw and strength.
Knowing that gave me a strange conviction.
‘At least in my mind, I’m fucking miserable right now.’
On the verge of death—calling it misfortune was an understatement.
So, couldn’t I trade this misfortune for something to break through?
‘Mana in exchange for misfortune would be fine.’
Even better if it eliminated all the bastards outside the barrier.
That would remove every threat around me.
‘Worth a shot.’
Better than sitting here sucking my thumb, hoping Players would lend mana.
If it failed, I had a lesser evil to avoid the worst.
The countless presences behind me.
‘Excluding my party: 9 Silver Badges, 37 Bronze Badges.’
Considering average Player mana, it might just barely work.
If I steeled my resolve, there was a way to gather mana.
Having sorted my thoughts, I gritted my teeth.
I didn’t want to indiscriminately kill innocent people.
I didn’t believe lives had varying worth.
But if forced to choose, my decision was set.
‘Don’t go soft, Kang Hyun-woo.’
If I had to pick the lesser evil to avoid the worst, I wouldn’t hesitate.
To hide my trembling hands, I clenched my fists and steadied my breath.
Calming my churning emotions.
‘Only if the worst happens.’
If Karos's Authority averted the worst, this tragedy wouldn’t occur.
Gritting my teeth, I tightened my grip on the ticket.
‘Praying like this in a gamble—pathetic.’
It was exactly the situation I hated, but I couldn’t ignore it.
“Hyung-nim, Kim Yul.”
Having hastily organized a plan, I called my party members.
I conveyed it as concisely as possible.
“No telling how this goes, so stay home, everyone.”
A warning to prepare for combat just in case.
“……Got it.”
“Amateurs are handled on my end. Don’t worry.”
Yang Tae-ho nodded gravely, and Kim Yul shifted position slightly.
Not toward the evolved species and General-grade, but a spot perfect for leaping toward the Players.
Confirming they were preparing.
‘I am unfortunate, so fucking unfortunate.’
I sincerely repeated how goddamn miserable I was and tore the ticket.
Unfamiliar divinity seeped in, changing the world before my eyes.
The biggest change was the black smoke filling the surroundings densely.
I hadn’t been told, but I knew at a glance.
‘That’s it.’
The misfortune felt by everyone gathered here, myself included, manifesting as smoke.
‘Paying misfortune that brings me no gain to obtain something helpful.’
Minus the unpredictability, it was an insanely cheat power.
Amazed yet hurried, I scanned with my eyes.
Searching for the greatest misfortune.
But no need to seek it.
The smoke blooming around me was the densest and darkest.
Due to my intense attachment to life?
Or subconsciously feeling responsible for the escort?
‘Doesn’t matter why right now.’
My misfortune created this chance—time to seize it.
I swallowed dryly and clutched the black smoke filling the area.
The smoke was sucked into my body, causing a stir around me.
“W-what is that?”
“Why’s he doing that?”
“The cracks are vanishing!”
As I absorbed the smoke, the cracks in the barrier began to disappear.
“What the hell is happening?”
“Who cares? The cracks are gone!”
“It matters! We need to know why to hold out in here!”
Of course, not entirely— it stopped at about 80-90%.
No more misfortune to draw.
‘Limit of a one-time Authority.’
Having gathered all the misfortune via the Authority, I blinked oddly out of place.
No further changes despite waiting.
Drew misfortune with Authority, barrier repaired. That was it.
‘This is a god’s Authority?’
Even spatial mages could repair barriers.
Dumbfounded to the point of absurdity, I stood frozen.
“Gasp.”
Suddenly, mana swelled from within my body.
A bizarre sensation—like inflating a balloon inside me.
Dizzy from the distant feeling, I staggered, grabbing Yang Tae-ho’s shoulder nearby.
“K?”
“Hyung?”
No time to answer my party’s calls.
As the dizzying sensation faded, numbers appeared in the upper left of my vision.
「Remaining Time: 00:30:00」
The timer stuck at 30 minutes started ticking down.
No need to rack my brain to grasp the situation.
The new System window was enough to infer what was happening.
[Proceed with 3rd Awakening? (Y/N)]
The solution from the one-time Karos Authority was exquisitely perfect.
As if it had read my exact thoughts.
The unfolding events felt off, but no time for deep thought.
I’d already planned for various scenarios.
‘Karos's Authority gave me just 30 minutes.’
No time to hesitate.
Even dazed from the sudden mana surge, I forced my mouth open.
“Hyung-nim, I’m doing the 3rd Awakening.”
“You really mean it?”
No time to explain to stunned Yang Tae-ho.
I’d already hit yes.
* * *
With a crash, the barrier shattered, and blue lightning engulfed the 3 o’clock position of the encirclement.
“Run, run! Faster!”
“What are the Silver Badges doing?! Block them!”
“We only have two hands too!”
“Dodge on your own!”
Almost simultaneously, the humans hiding in the barrier surged toward the same direction.
Some led, clearing the path.
After the blue flash, the evolved species paralyzed by lightning yielded the way easily.
“Kuluk?”
The watching General-grade tilted its head.
Unable to comprehend such folly.
They couldn’t escape far anyway due to the double barrier.
Watching the distancing humans and pursuing 5-star evolved species briefly.
The General-grade began walking slowly.
Following the humans.
Its order was the extermination of the humanoid race.
“Kuruuuru....”
If nearby humanoids survived, it would bear responsibility.
The General-grade moved its sluggish legs busily.
Soon spotting the huddled humans at the double barrier’s end.
See? Couldn’t go far—why run so hard?
Would’ve been easier if they’d died there—no chase needed.
“Kuluk, kuluk.”
Clicking its tongue in complaint, the General-grade reached out.
No barrier left to protect the exposed humans.
It planned to distort the space where their bodies touched, severing heads from torsos in one go.
But before it could cast.
Thud, thud, thud!
Some humans uniformly slammed shields into the ground.
“Can’t cover wide! Stick close!”
“Piggyback!”
“Kids up! Hurry, hurry!”
Then humans behind shouted busily.
A golden curtain formed based on the shields.
“Kuruuk!”
Recognizing the meaning, the General-grade reacted fiercely, stomping the ground.
To disrupt before the golden curtain completed.
But before reaching the target, something blocked its path.
“You play with me.”
A human with golden eyes.
Its presence undetected—an utterly sudden appearance.
The follow-up was just as abrupt.
Bang-!
Unable to dodge the human’s kick, the General-grade flew back.
Sweeping away nearby evolved species in the process.
Meanwhile, the human who kicked it leaped into the air.
Stepping on a red platform in midair, spitting blood-mixed saliva while muttering.
Damn system