Great Atlas War (Part 1) (1)

Overlord King Baroque was the most unique figure among absolute monarchs.

Tyrants and sage kings.

Both were strong, that much was true.

But what made them strong was their mighty armies.

A sage king amassed more virtue than anyone else, allowing him to unite all forces in times of crisis as the lord revered by all.

A tyrant used brute force, madness, and his own exceptional talents to forge an independent army.

But Overlord King Baroque was different.

He was the king of the smallest nation, with a mere population of three million.

Yet even tyrants who reveled in plunder and invasion never dared set foot in his domain.

When Hyun-soo asked why, Lukio answered.

"Because he was too strong."

"……."

Hyun-soo's heart pounded.

Right now, his information broker Kabel was struggling to uncover intel on the Overlord King.

But information on him was scarce everywhere.

This meant it was a story that would unfold around the latter half of Ares 2.

A notification confirmed it.

As the first user to encounter information on the Overlord King, every word from Lukio felt like a gem.

'A king who resembles what I'm striving for.'

The Overlord King's nation was a tiny speck among small countries, holding only three million souls.

Just recently, Nel had mentioned that a kingdom needed at least around that population for the system to even allow its founding.

Yet the nation led by the Overlord King had a million fewer than the four million she'd cited.

"It wasn't just tyrants. Even emperors of empires with hundreds of millions of people and over ten million soldiers avoided clashing with him."

Unlike Enya Kingdom.

No one touched Enya because it was filthy.

But the Overlord King's land? They left it alone out of true fear.

"There's always some mad dog out there."

Lukio let out a wry chuckle.

"Someone did try to invade the Overlord King's nation. Palama, a king who ruled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over thirty million subjects, young and brash."

This was a tale from Lukio's own time.

"Freshly crowned and full of hubris, Palama's king wanted to create a historic event to propel his nation forward. So he sent a scouting force of 100,000."

Gulp.

Hyun-soo swallowed dryly.

100,000.

Recently, Hyun-soo had purified 4,000 in one go.

Defeating 4,000 alone was incredible.

Of course, he'd had help from the Four Signs Sword and Saintess Aria back then.

"That force of 100,000 was annihilated in a single day."

"……Then how much damage did the Overlord King's nation take?"

Lukio shook his head, his expression saying the question missed the mark.

"……The Overlord King fought alone."

Hyun-soo reeled from the shock.

Overlord King Baroque had massacred an army of 100,000 by himself.

"Watching the battle after sending his 100,000 scouts, Palama's king said this."

Hyun-soo focused intently on Lukio's lips.

"The sole transcendent of humanity."

"……!"

Transcendent.

A special title reserved for beings like demons or dragons.

Transcendence meant surpassing any standard or limit.

In other words, he was the only human born of flesh who had broken those limits.

"What happened to Palama's king after that?"

"……He became his follower. Though the Overlord King refused him."

It might sound absurd.

But to Hyun-soo, it hit differently.

A king bloated with his nation's arrogance, witnessing one man's prowess and offering his entire realm.

That was the level of might the Overlord King had proven.

"Moreover, he even fought Bepar, one of the demons."

Lukio left it at that.

The epithet before the Overlord King's name proved the outcome.

True to his title as the king who never once lost, he had faced Bepar alone and emerged undefeated.

'Is this even possible……?'

Unlike sage kings or tyrants, the Overlord King was an individual of unparalleled power—a true transcendent.

This was a hint.

Something transcendent was emerging worldwide.

Transcendent-grade materials.

Paths to transcendent-grade artifacts.

Ways to acquire transcendent-grade skills.

It had been foretold since Ares 2 opened.

And among them, the Overlord King was the first to take shape.

'……If he's a transcendent, most of his skills must be transcendent-grade.'

It was insane.

And it hit home because Hyun-soo himself possessed one transcendent-grade skill.

His was Ultimate.

This Ultimate had first activated against Legion Commander Robus, defined as Ares's first one-shot kill.

Indeed, a single burst of Ultimate had slain Robus.

'And he possesses things like that.'

There were similarities to himself, too.

Like Hyun-soo's dream of a small nation, he had ruled one.

Like Hyun-soo's resolve to protect his unstable land as a strong king, he had the power to defend his alone.

His mere name deterred any thought of invasion.

But the most crucial part remained.

This tale's origin lay in revealing how to become the Overlord King.

"How do you become the Overlord King?"

He was ready to pursue any means to claim that title.

Just knowing the method opened infinite possibilities…….

"By defeating the Overlord King."

"……What?"

Hyun-soo's mind went blank.

Hyun-soo stared at the quest window, speechless.

The Overlord King must have fought tens of thousands of battles.

To inherit his power, he had to hand that undefeated king his first loss.

'What's the difference from taking down Gremory alone? The Overlord King never lost to demons either.'

And Hyun-soo had only defeated demons thanks to Bahala, Kabel, Lukio, and Myeolak.

'The Overlord King isn't evil, so Myeolak won't work.'

He had to defeat the Overlord ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠King solo, at full 100% HP.

"The Overlord King awaits in Alterion, the nation lost to history."

"……How is he still alive?"

Like Brad?

"He's clinging to life, waiting for an heir to succeed him. It's a stroke of fortune—your last chance."

"Last chance?"

"Having defied time, he's weakened to his utmost. Having reached eternal rest, he's lost the strength to endure."

"……So the Overlord King is extremely weak right now?"

Lukio nodded firmly.

"Estimated time left: six months."

In other words, challenge him within six months.

"Even if you fail to become the Overlord King, don't despair. It's the natural order. For a king who never lost to lose now would defy that order."

Lukio gazed at Hyun-soo with concern, yet encouragement.

"Alterion from history is no ordinary place now. The Overlord King doesn't grant the honor of facing him to just anyone."

Lukio himself, dubbed the undefeated knight, had walked the path of the Overlord King.

"I never even earned the glory of facing him. Alterion holds countless trials and ordeals. Overcome them all to reach him. Each victory will make you stronger, so even if you fall short, it'll be invaluable."

From Lukio's words, Hyun-soo inferred Alterion operated like stages.

And Lukio worried for him.

Only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠six months remained.

He knew becoming the Overlord King meant defeating him—an impossibility, as everything crumbled before such a feat.

'Having heard how, he might despair or give up.'

That's why Lukio framed it as natural order, even if unreachable.

And with just six months left…….

He'd have quit himself.

But.

"Six months…… Worth a shot."

Lukio was awestruck.

Fighting spirit burned in Hyun-soo's eyes.

Through him, Lukio realized the man he'd serve anew had an even firmer resolve and pride than his own.

"Got a new goal. You'll help, right?"

Lukio's heart trembled.

A vision flashed: Hyun-soo as the true Overlord King, and himself in service.

Today, a new goal dawned for both Lukio and Hyun-soo.

For Lukio: to crown Hyun-soo Overlord King.

For Hyun-soo: to grow massively in six months and claim that title.

In the chamber housing the supercomputer Ares.

"A path to battle a transcendent has opened for user Hyun-soo……."

Muttering to himself, Se-jin gave a wry smile.

What was a transcendent?

It meant surpassing human limits—but not quite.

To Se-jin and supercomputer Ares, a transcendent was the unique pinnacle in any field.

Se-jin chuckled dryly.

"By that logic, isn't user Hyun-soo a transcendent too?"

Transcendents existed in reality too.

At the 2009 Berlin Athletics Championships, Usain Bolt ran 100m in 9.58 seconds.

Decades later, the record stood unbroken; some even said he hadn't gone all out.

Such irreplaceable records marked the unique ones—real-world transcendents.

Thus, Se-jin thought Hyun-soo, the sole handmade master craftsman, qualified.

But supercomputer Ares disagreed.

"……?"

Se-jin looked puzzled.

Not like Usain Bolt's overwhelming display?

Supercomputer Ares accessed all global media—articles, images, videos, even decades-old records.

Se-jin was startled.

"……You're right."

A conversation between Hyun-soo and Nel flashed by.

From when he forged the Dragon Light Sword.

'Amazing. To craft the Dragon Light Sword so perfectly—no one else in the world could do it but you, Hyun-soo.'

'No, there's someone who could craft it even more perfectly.'

'……Someone better than you, Hyun-soo?'

'Yes. Sadly, decades of hammering left him unable to work anymore.'

Recalling that, Se-jin eyed the hundreds of articles, restored gear, and creations Ares displayed.

Holograms flickered before him as he let out a hollow laugh.

"The true transcendent was someone else."

Wasn't Hyun-soo's father, Kang Hyun-tae, the real Usain Bolt-like unique transcendent?

Chills ran down Se-jin's spine.

"He entrusted everything to Hyun-soo. If he awakens someday and forges in Ares……?"

That day, Ares might witness a transcendent like the undefeated Overlord King—the pinnacle of crafting perfection.

But what chilled Se-jin was different.

"……It also means user Hyun-soo's blacksmithing has room to grow further."

Kang Hyun-tae had lived and honed for thirty more years than Hyun-soo.

Hyun-soo could now refine for those same thirty years.

Hyun-soo wasn't lacking.

His life had just been short so far, and now endless training time lay ahead.

Se-jin dared to hope.

For the day Hyun-soo became a transcendent blacksmith.

And for the transcendent Hyun-tae who would awaken later.