Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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I had entered the world of God's Atlantis.
Having finished the tutorial, I was in the shelter. In about thirty minutes, I could enter Atlantis Sector 1.
I checked my body first.
'It's lighter than my real body, and my senses are sharper too.'
That's because my body in the world of God's Atlantis was stronger than my real one.
It might be pathetically weak compared to the powerhouses on the Atlantis continent, but among the exiles who'd cleared the tutorial, I was the strongest. Even including the protagonist.
I moved my slightly awkward body around to get used to it. Once I felt somewhat accustomed, I spoke into the air.
"King of the Heavenly Demon. I have a question."
The Fallen Star.
A constellation that appears in the original work and the setting collection.
Its true name is Lucifer.
A clear villain who loves deceiving exiles.
No need to pay it any mind right now. Though Lucifer's rank is impressively high, it's still a step below Zeus, the Lord of the Skies, with whom I've contracted. Lucifer has no choice but to watch his step around Zeus.
I ignored the Fallen Star and opened my mouth.
"What is the Heavenly Demon Divine Art you gave me?"
Not even the author, who could be called the creator of God's Atlantis, knows about it, and it's not in the setting collection either. So, I had no choice but to ask directly.
This was the quickest and easiest way. The problem was that I couldn't trust the King of the Heavenly Demon.
"Did you tamper with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?"
I waited. I thought the King of the Heavenly Demon would say something more. But even after time passed, there was no response.
"What did you do to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art you gave me?"
The King of the Heavenly Demon spoke in the voice of a young girl. I furrowed my brow.
"I felt something off when I used the Heavenly Demon Divine Art earlier."
A husky voice. No, the King of the Heavenly Demon's voice wasn't the important thing right now.
"......"
My pupils were trembling. I had realized it. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art registered in the system and given to me, and the one I'd trained in reality without the system's help—they were different.
"......If I learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Art without the system's power, could there be side effects? When I pass it on to someone else, I mean."
"Then there's no way around it? I might have to pass on the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to my subordinates."
"......"
I glared at the notification window in front of me.
There was one flaw in the King of the Heavenly Demon's words.
I hadn't even intended to use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in reality, yet it had gone berserk.
"What level of mental fortitude are we talking about?"
"......Got it."
I barely managed to reply, swallowing a curse.
The King of the Heavenly Demon really couldn't be trusted.
'Did the King of the Heavenly Demon lie about everything?'
No. It wasn't an ordinary being, that much was clear. Liars who are good at it hide lies within truth. Most of what it said was probably true.
'Overcome it with mental fortitude. That part's likely real.'
My intuition told me so.
And last time, when it went berserk during the fight with Eun Sang-min, my mind felt entranced, but it cleared up in an instant.
'Not because the rampage ended, but because something intervened.'
I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket and launched the Playful Life app. There was only one thing I could guess.
'Resistance to mental interference...'
The King of the Heavenly Demon didn't seem inclined to give a straight answer about the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
And I couldn't just erase my memories of it either. All I could do was rely on the Mental Resistance trait.
'I should raise Mental Resistance's level after all. Soon as I earn points, I'll upgrade it.'
I considered logging out to reality right away but decided against it.
Since I'd logged into this world, I planned to enjoy Yoo Seo-hee and Joo Seo-hyun's pussies a bit, make some progress, earn points, and then head back.
'Heh. Not bad to revel in the power of this stronger body compared to reality.'
Pzzt! Pzzt!
Lightning sparked in my palm. I could use it much faster than in reality, and controlling it was easier too.
I thoroughly ignored the Fallen Star. Unable to hold back, it sponsored me just to ask.
The Fallen Star asked me in the innocent voice of a young boy. Just from the voice, it evoked the image of an incredibly cute kid.
'Judging a constellation by its voice alone would be insane.'
Can't underestimate a constellation just because of a sponsorship.
There were quite a few among them that hid their true nature behind a concept.
"No reason to tell you."
"You expect me to talk for a mere 1,000 AP? No conscience."
"......"
I lay down on the floor and closed my eyes.
Even if the Fallen Star seemed foolish, I couldn't let my guard down.
It was probably all a show to deceive me.
'......Lucifer appears in the latter half of the original. Is this before it fully turns to the dark side?'
I couldn't be sure.
'Either way, it's a famous demon bastard, so better to stay cautious.'
???
As soon as the system's welcome ended, the scenery around me changed.
I was standing in a vast space. It was indoors, with candles on the walls and what looked like sacred paintings on the ceiling, though I wasn't sure.
Around me were people dressed in white priestly robes. Their robes bore the image of scales.
'Just like described in the novel. I made it properly.'
Someone approached me. An old man.
"Welcome to Atlantis Sector 1, the Temple of Beginnings. I am Edson, Archbishop of the Hundred Resolute Heavenly Scales Society."
Edson spoke to me with a kindly expression.
The Hundred Resolute Heavenly Scales Society.
The religious group that operates the Temple of Beginnings in Atlantis Sector 1. They boast the most followers in Atlantis and handle mediation for disputes and all sorts of matters.
The constellation they worship is the "Blind Justice."
"Sung Yu-jin."
"Yes. Mr. Sung Yu-jin. Your sudden appearance here has piqued much curiosity. We'll explain everything, so for now, please follow our guidance. We have no intention of harming you."
"I trust you."
I nodded.
Atlantis Sector 1, the Temple of Beginnings, was one of the safest and most peaceful areas in Atlantis. And I had zero intention of clashing with the Hundred Resolute Heavenly Scales Society, one of Atlantis's top powers, right from the start.
'Wonder where Yoo Seo-hee and Joo Seo-hyun are.'
???
Sector 1, Temple of Beginnings.
Exiles who clear the tutorial are summoned to the temple's center and begin their lives in Atlantis.
The Hundred Resolute Heavenly Scales Society operates it. And they have an obligation to explain Atlantis to newbie exiles. It's a deal with the system. In return, they get operational rights to Sector 1 and AP.
'Complete two weeks of training here, and you get basic gear and 100,000 pennies.'
You can skip the training if you want. But then you forfeit the basic gear and 100,000 pennies. Pennies are Atlantis's currency. 100,000 pennies is about 1 million won in Korean currency.
'And upon completion, you get recruitment offers from legions.'
A legion is like a hunter guild in reality. Legions with decent strength rule one of Atlantis's 10,000 sectors.
'Hmm. Should I make my own legion? Or join a famous one?'
It didn't matter which I chose. Behind me was none other than the Lord of the Skies, Zeus.
As I walked down the corridor toward the dormitory, I paused. I'd run into a man with short hair and a stern face. Kang Myung-jin, the protagonist of the original work.
Beside Kang Myung-jin was a bob-haired girl in a school uniform. Lee Min-jung. As per the original, she'd probably gotten his help in the tutorial.
"Oppa Myung-jin. Why'd you stop suddenly?"
"......"
Kang Myung-jin kept staring at me despite Lee Min-jung's words. His eyes were wide; he looked quite shocked.
Lee Min-jung noticed his gaze and eyed me warily too.
'This guy's using Dragon Eye to peek at my status window.'
This was the status window Kang Myung-jin was seeing.
I could hide some stats with Deception, but I didn't bother. No need. I did hide my unique trait, though. Having a Deception (SS) unique trait alone was enough to raise suspicions.
'Kang Myung-jin is cannon fodder. No need to hide stats just to watch out for him.'
He wouldn't see the Heavenly Demon status window. I was determined to hide that one.
'Kang Myung-jin must be bewildered. I'm from the same Earth as him, and the Lord of the Skies is a constellation that normally contracts with someone else. He probably never heard my name in the original.'
From Kang Myung-jin's perspective, I was an irregular.
An irregular even stronger than him.
'Got a good idea. For this playthrough, maybe I'll ride the protagonist bus.'
The original revolves around the protagonist. To profit from original knowledge, sticking near him is best.
'And being the protagonist, he attracts tons of hot chicks.'
I glanced at Lee Min-jung. A-cup breasts, but her face and proportions were killer. No wonder she's one of the heroines in the original.
"Is there something on my face?"
I asked Kang Myung-jin.
Kang Myung-jin snapped out of it.
"......Sorry. You resemble someone I know, so I stared without thinking."
"Ah, that happens. I'm Sung Yu-jin. Just arrived in Atlantis."
"Kang Myung-jin. And this is..."
"Lee Min-jung."
Lee Min-jung grabbed Kang Myung-jin's arm, wary of me.
I smiled and pulled a chocolate from my pocket. I'd brought it to eat and to give to Yoo Seo-hee.
"Since we crossed paths, a gift."
"No need."
I forced the chocolate into the hand of the refusing Kang Myung-jin.
"It's fine, have it. I've eaten so much I'm sick of it."
"......You carry something like this around?"
"Yeah, somehow. Well, I'm tired, so off to the dorm."
I passed Kang Myung-jin and headed to the dorm.
Kang Myung-jin would've noticed the chocolate's packaging was pristine.
'He'll have a rough idea of my unique skill, Barter.'
The chocolate was bait tossed to Kang Myung-jin.