Babylon (7)
Ares, the virtual reality game, unveils new chapters in cycles.
Chapter 1: Adventure.
Chapter 2: The King's Path.
With each massive update like this, a flood of changes and fresh content emerges.
And in this game exists an absolute god named Ares.
Most users currently believe Ares is the only god.
They don't know about the Blacksmith God's Heir. Or that Bahala walks the Sword God's Path.
Yet Chapter 2 is preparation for Chapter 3, and users have the right to learn more.
Hyun-soo heard two notifications about gods he hadn't encountered in Chapter 1.
Because Chapter 2 had opened, granting hints for the distant Chapter 3.
Those hints: someday, users would encounter gods beyond the absolute god.
"Two notifications just one month after Chapter 2 opened..."
Se-jin, visiting the Special User Management Team, marveled.
Users will someday encounter gods beyond the absolute god.
Gaining foreknowledge of future events is crucial.
It sometimes provides the foundation to prepare and advance.
This latest notification also revealed that user Hyun-soo would someday receive a divine commission.
Though no one knew when that "someday" might come.
Anyway, Se-jin focused on what followed.
"A mineral of indeterminable grade. Naturally. It hasn't been established yet."
Not established.
Purum Corp was already preparing Ares Chapter 3.
But not everything was set in stone.
They established things in line with user growth rates.
Though they hadn't registered it yet.
And its effects wouldn't be nerfed.
"User Hyun-soo has probably already guessed what that mineral is."
Se-jin was certain Hyun-soo shared Purum Corp's assessment of its grade.
"He obtained a truly incredible mineral."
"Exactly. Setting its name will also grant a reward for creating an outstanding mineral."
That reward would be measured by the supercomputer Ares.
But that wasn't the priority now.
"What he'll make with that mineral."
Se-jin's interest piqued.
It had been months since Hyun-soo last crafted an artifact for himself.
And the power of that soon-to-be-named mineral promised to be extraordinary.
"Attempting to boost probabilities suggests he's focusing on passive skills."
Se-jin agreed, but Ji-hee tilted her head.
"It looks like he's making a sub-weapon, but isn't probability too wasteful for that?"
That was Ji-hee's view.
But Se-jin shook his head.
"User Hyun-soo possesses many probability-based elements."
Nine Consecutive Slashes.
A single attack slashes the enemy nine times, with probabilistic activation.
Once More.
Activates at 40% chance when HP falls below 10%, removing skill cooldown and allowing reactivation.
Blacksmith's Soul.
No percentage listed, but ultimately probabilistic, much like Lord's Grace.
Hyun-soo held many such probability-linked assets.
"The key is Ultimate."
"Ultimate..?"
Hyun-soo's Transcendent-grade passive.
Of course, it needed growth, so its activation rate was absurdly low now.
"If the 0.4% Ultimate activation doubles to 0.8%, that's notable. But more importantly, the 0.1% Ultimate."
The 0.1% activation unleashes twice his greatest power.
"Hyun-soo's defined that as an instant-kill move, varying by target. Doubling it to 0.2% alone is invaluable. And as Ultimate grows, the boosted probability applies too—holding such an artifact now would create massive synergy."
"Ah..."
Ji-hee finally understood.
Doubling an instant-kill probability felt profoundly impactful.
But Hyun-soo's next words shattered the Special User Management Team's—and Se-jin's—expectations.
-The probabilistic boost will be secondary in the artifact I craft.
Secondary meant auxiliary.
Se-jin furrowed his brow.
'Not a probabilistic artifact after all?'
-The primary will store named monsters' traits.
"What...?"
Se-jin's eyes wavered.
Named monsters or NPCs possess unique traits.
Dragons and hydras have breath attacks.
Demon Grout had regeneration; Fenrir, Death's Presence.
Humanoid monsters and named NPCs were the same.
The Calamities exemplified this.
The Fifth had telekinesis.
The Fourth, Absolute Domination.
The Second, Transcendent Defense.
Those named held traits.
Se-jin felt fear at user Hyun-soo's idea.
Then relief.
"Not easy. Balance won't allow it."
But he soon grasped one fact.
Did Hyun-soo not know that?
"Low probability makes it feasible. Setting primary as named trait storage and secondary as probability—that's why. To raise the low trait-storage odds."
Chilling design. Elevating slim chances within one artifact.
Finally, Hyun-soo named the mineral.
-Desire. I'll name this mineral Desire.
A fitting name, perfectly capturing the current Hyun-soo.
It was a first for Se-jin.
He'd always watched with pure anticipation and curiosity.
But today was different.
Anticipation mingled with worry.
For the artifact he aimed to create.
Forged by the mineral Desire.
"Demigod."
Having named it, Hyun-soo murmured at the mineral Desire.
For this indeterminable grade, he guessed as much.
'Surpassing Transcendent, yet below Divine—fitting, right?'
And he tossed a line to Purum Corp.
"Hurry up and get to work?"
It might be intentionally unset.
But it wasn't just labeled "Demigod."
Undeniably beyond Transcendent, shy of Divine.
Still, one regret.
'Firsts usually come with rewards.'
Yet no notification.
Might be because it's indeterminable.
'That'd be ridiculous...'
Then.
The system is measuring the reward.
His face lit up.
Not withholding—just took time to measure.
And Hyun-soo received the ultimate existing reward.
The mineral Desire—white and black perfectly blended on the ground—grew larger.
◈ Acquired an additional 500g of Desire Mineral.
500g extra. What reward could top more Desire?
This let him preserve his remaining stock.
'Even a tiny amount of the ultimate mineral holds astronomical value someday.'
Finally, Hyun-soo fed Desire into the forge.
This would be his best artifact yet.
A possession artifact.
'Possession artifacts activate just by holding them.'
Thus, standard abilities lag, limiting special slots.
But Hyun-soo already wielded the ultimate weapon.
His possession artifacts further empowered the Twin Dragon Swords.
Moreover.
'This idea is possible only with Desire mineral.'
Hyun-soo's game insight was profound.
Coupled with Master Craftsman knowledge, his judgment was sound.
The trait-storage artifact he desired violated balance.
But Desire mineral could skirt that balance.
'Naturally.'
This artifact's trait storage wouldn't trigger guaranteed.
It'd be low-probability.
But that was fine.
Clang-!
Clang-!
Claaaang-!
The artifact's secondary power would boost that slim chance!
Hyun-soo immersed himself madly.
He'd finish before demon hunting.
'Might even extract Lukio's trait.'
Hyun-soo focused furiously.
Meanwhile.
Someone else drowned in massive worry.
'Crafting again?'
Nel watched Hyun-soo dive into Babylon's follow-up creation, anxiety swelling.
Her concern: those targeting Atlas.
Post-Server Integration, Asgan Continent newcomers weren't just Chinese users.
'Japan's Musashi, America's Kalli, Vietnam's Mio, Russia's Cassandra... countless high-rankers crossed over.'
First, rivalry.
Second, defeat Hyun-soo, force artifact crafting.
Of course, Kabel had dumped them in Asgan's high-level dungeons.
But their release loomed.
'And those with intel rivaling Kabel's.'
They'd bought info from him; he might guide to Atlas—or not.
'Some will reach nearby. Certain.'
Now, Hyun-soo and they must prepare.
Deploy forces far from Atlas entrance, annihilate all foes.
Atlas's location must stay hidden.
'He doesn't know...?'
Nel felt disappointed in Hyun-soo.
Most would come one path anyway.
Atlas's front teemed with monsters; only one route.
Guard it staunchly.
'No, why disappointed? That's my role.'
Nel soon chuckled wryly.
She'd overhyped Hyun-soo, hence the letdown.
He juggled too much; too many worries.
So she'd tell him directly, delay crafting.
But...
Clang-!
"Of course I knew."
Hyun-soo wasn't so irresponsible.
He said calmly.
"Sent a sharp kid. We're good."
Nel panicked.
A sharp kid? They came in packs.
Not armies like Chinese, but dozens to hundreds.
Then Nel froze.
⊳ Bahala has joined Hyun's Forge.
Hostile forces have crossed the boundary line.
Alert level: Danger.
Nel's face twisted.
She'd installed costly consumables alerting the territory when foes crossed specific paths.
Warnings scaled with intruders' strength.
An extremely powerful group entered within 2km of Atlas.
Hyun-soo must have heard too.
Yet he hammered on, oblivious.
'No, who the hell is this sharp kid...'
Then Nel's eyes widened.
At that moment.
Japan's apex user Musashi reached near Atlas.
His guild: mere 30 members.
But his guild totaled only 100.
Yet called Japan's best.
Average level over 400.
Ninjas all. Musashi, crouching low and swift, halted in shock.
"What are you?"
A robed, masked man blocked the path.
The blocker heard a notification.
The Achievement System is assessing the situation.
The reason he'd amassed countless achievements.
The Sword God pursued achievements.
He'd avoided user clashes till now, but today differed.
'Last request before Lukio: guard Atlas.'
Hyun-soo asked the impossible.
The Achievement System outlined potential gains.
Designate a location and fight.
📍 You have become the Guardian.
🎁 Slay endless foes to protect what must be guarded and accumulate achievements.
Bahala didn't yet know.
He'd forge a 1:200 tale here.
The sharp kid(?)'s legend began.
Meanwhile.
'Plan successful?'
Kabel, who'd sent the guardian and rigged the board, stood before a door.
Inside the open portal, thousands of grotesque beings roared.
"Grrrr..."
"Kahahak!"
Kabel gazed somewhere.
Atlas's likely spot.
And Bokdeongi, Hyun-soo there.
'I'll return soon.'
Another guardian crossed the hellgate.
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