Commander Bon
The Seed of Life gathering was scheduled to last two weeks.
On the first day, they managed a pitiful total of just around 120.
Bella and the knights, along with the members of Hyun's Forge, had fought tooth and nail to secure those.
Karn declared it woefully insufficient.
They had pulled the Saint's Sword and slain the Bone Dragon—feats deemed impossible at the time—allowing them to meet the qualification threshold in one go.
At that rate, with 120 seeds per day tallied over two weeks, Karn estimated they might awaken that many residents.
'Around 500 territory folk and 30 soldiers, maybe?'
Hyun-soo's mouth soured at the thought.
It was far too few to fill the vast expanse of Atlas Territory.
Still, there was some comfort.
Gathering Seeds of Life was the fastest way to awaken those who had slumbered the shortest time.
Slowly but surely, they could revive everyone eventually.
'The problem is not knowing how many years that might take.'
Growth-type territories like Atlas were never meant to be awakened easily.
But Nel's tea time introduced a massive variable.
With 4,000 blacksmiths arriving, seed gathering accelerated several times over.
Hyun-soo chalked it up to the blacksmiths, unaware that the Bokdeongi fan club's efforts were boosting the pace even more.
Moreover, Kabel—the core figure of the fan club—had the three legends prepare gifts for a housewarming visit.
Those three legends scoured every dungeon near Atlas.
Each one would have taken Hyun's Forge days to clear.
In any case, Hyun-soo's abnormal seed accumulation triggered this alert.
You draw closer to one of the powers held by the Saint.
Just as the message said, their freakishly rapid seed haul granted him perks despite not changing classes to Saint.
As a result, Hyun-soo unlocked the legendary stat Overwhelm, once held by the Saint.
After that, unbeknownst to him, the three legends clashed with the examiners.
And Hyun-soo, delivering the finishing blow, claimed the maximum seeds possible from Bon.
How many were that?
Seed of Life gathering has ended.
The two-week event wrapped in just four days—system judgment: no more seeds to collect.
Plus:
You can awaken the maximum possible at your current level.
"Current level" maximum.
Hyun-soo had his guess.
It came down to numbers.
As Bon implied, he and the top 1,000 elites remained asleep.
'Atlas likely harbored plenty of talent too.'
They probably weren't awake either.
Just as Hyun-soo hadn't yet earned Bon's eternal loyalty, his current level fell short of awakening them.
So, this was only half the power of growth-type Atlas Territory.
But Hyun-soo knew the truth.
What crumbling Atlas needed right now.
'Bodies to fill it—residents and soldiers.'
Not that talent was unnecessary.
Just that they needed numbers first to build it together.
Hyun-soo headed for the Seed of Life activation point but halted.
130,000 Seeds of Life will be used.
Even maxing out, 70,000 seeds remained.
'What about the leftover 70,000? They won't go to waste, right?'
Proof of his massive haul.
As he worried they might become junk:
You've gathered Seeds of Life exponentially in a short time.
One of the legacies left by the Saint.
You can learn a passive skill.
Ultimate is Transcendent grade.
"Tr-Transcendent grade?"
Hyun-soo reeled in shock.
Ares was on the cusp of Chapter 2.
Hyun-soo was the first—and only—to forge the Transcendent Twin Dragon Swords in Chapter 1.
Now, before Chapter 2 even began, he claimed a second Transcendent power.
Gulp.
His throat bobbed involuntarily.
Objectively, he was still weak.
A prime-condition Bon in a 1v1? Hyun-soo would've lost overwhelmingly.
And with server integration looming, he'd face the world's top players.
His face twisted in dread.
Level cap: 500.
Hyun-soo panicked.
"Level cap 500?"
He incredulously queried the system.
'This power wasn't meant for Chapter 1.'
Atlas itself was prepped for Chapter 2.
But he smirked.
'Makes sense for a Transcendent passive—immense power demands a level 500 cap.'
Not resignation, but acceptance.
'Still, I know better.'
If it required level 500, the reward would've waited—or triggered a quest.
'I've done something incredible, with 70,000 seeds left. I'm worthy!'
Another chime.
70,000 Seeds of Life will be used.
Passive skill Ultimate has been changed to growth-type.
Ding!
Transcendent skill. You have learned Ultimate.
Hyun-soo marveled.
He hadn't expected such a twist.
He checked it immediately.
Effects:
• Activates at 0.4% chance.
• On activation, your strongest power ever manifests, skipping all processes.
• Proficiency rises on level-up or activation.
• 0.1% chance for superior Ultimate.
• On superior activation, your strongest power manifests with skipped processes + 100% damage.
• Recalibrates strongest power every 3 months. Fails to surpass? Reverts to prior damage.
Explanation: Ares' pinnacle passive skill. Low odds now, but it shines with growth.
His honest take?
'This is Transcendent...?'
Dubious at best.
Growth-type or not, those abysmal odds were unprecedented.
"0.4% activation...?"
And that 0.4% replayed his all-time strongest strike.
Suddenly, a memory flashed—his devastating blow.
"...!?"
He recoiled.
In the continental war, he'd stacked power via the Twin Dragon Swords' Accumulation skill for ultimate one-shot.
Potent enough to upgrade his Strongest Single Shot Creator title.
Hyun-soo was confident.
'Few in Ares have topped that damage.'
He had screenshots.
For posterity—could he ever match it again?
Accumulation boosts one attack by 2,100%.
Yes—2,100% single strike.
With perfect trinity, cutting power tripled too.
"Insane...!"
Truth bomb: trash-tier for most.
First, few achieve trinity like him.
High-rankers max at 1,000% per stats.
His came from absorbing ranker damage via Accumulation in war.
"If this procs mid-fight...?"
A casual swing turning into unseen devastation.
More shocking: the 0.1% superior version.
"4,200%? With my Twin Dragon Swords?"
% damage needs overall strength.
He wielded Twin Dragon Swords, boasted high stats.
Grows stronger with him—recalibrates every three months.
Hyun-soo dubbed the 0.1% proc:
"Ares' one-and-only instakill."
Instakill: one-shot enemy to zero.
'Not impossible.'
High-rankers or named bosses witness full-HP wipeout miracle.
But reality check.
'Ah...'
0.1%? Once per 1,000 tries.
No guarantee it hits a high-ranker or named.
Instakill? Pipe dream now.
'Even 0.4% feels tough...'
Yet he saw potential.
'Growth-type passive.'
Odds rise with growth—that consoled him.
He didn't know then.
That Ultimate would proc on an absurdly unreasonable foe.
Hyun-soo was afraid.
Being MVP in the continental war meant that.
'Second Korean earl or not...'
His meteoric rise lacked pillars of support.
Post-integration, hordes targeting him and his guild.
Would his first legend fall pathetically, becoming a joke?
Lose his precious guildmates and hard-won gains?
Terror gripped him.
But now, a way forward.
'The awakened might change everything.'
He stepped to the activation point: the ramparts.
Atop the highest perch, an alert.
You can use the Seeds of Life.
Proceed?
"Yes."
Before his eyes: 130,000 seeds from his inventory.
They lit up, soaring skyward.
His gaze swept the pitiful Atlas.
4,000 blacksmiths had labored on construction, but only skeletons stood.
Short on water, food; residents ragged, awaiting a new lord.
130,000 seeds rained down.
Rumble—
A miracle unfolded.
On parched soil where seeds fell:
Atlas regains its ancient glory.
Sturdy, ingeniously designed structures emerge.
Hyun-soo rubbed his eyes.
Amid earth-shaking roars, colossal edifices erupted.
Towering, ornate—like Goyad Kingdom's capital.
Seeds scattered again.
Abundant grains sate the residents; no one starves.
Barren land tilled itself.
Soil enriched; fields sprouted stalks, budding fruits and grains.
As in its prosperous days, hidden resources emerge across Atlas.
Mines, dungeons—latent now, but soon their footholds.
Residents would claim them, offer to Hyun-soo.
Most vital: streets empty amid resplendent Atlas.
Adults had hidden from kids.
'The dragon will kill us.'
Couldn't say it.
Children vanished mid-play; now revived, playing again.
Merchants in vacant markets.
Soldiers assembled against dragon, met death.
Families at final meals indoors.
People emerged from homes.
War-prep troops gathered.
"There!"
A boy pointed to the lord's castle; all eyes followed, feet turned.
Yes.
23,071 territory residents awaken.
4,513 soldiers awaken.
All awakened eyes fixed there.
A youthful figure in a flapping brown coat etched in minds.
Overwhelm stat inheritance lent majesty, charisma captivating them.
Black hair, tall, foreign eyes.
Unspoken, they knew.
'Our new lord...'
'Saint's successor.'
'Righteous king.'
Hyun-soo slowly swept their gazes.
No trace of his newbie clumsiness.
MVP fears melted away.
Hyun-soo stood at the pinnacle.
In unopened Chapter 2 Ares.
Higher than all, treading the king's path.