Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Super Awakener
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"The night is over, so why haven't they shown up yet?"
"No way they're all dead, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense. There were a million participants."
"Yeah. No way all of them died."
"......It's already morning."
Those who hadn't entered the 'Second Night' were puzzled.
The participants still hadn't appeared, even though the night had passed.
In the previous 'First Night,' they had shown up the moment morning arrived.
But now, even after 24 hours, not a single report of returnees had come in, and people were starting to grow uneasy.
"Did they really all get wiped out...?"
"I heard all the top powerhouses participated. And they all died?"
"A million people?"
Most of the powerhouses representing their nations had joined.
If they had all been wiped out, it would create a massive power vacuum.
In such a situation, if a large-scale Abyss like the 'Dungeon Abyss' appeared, the damage would be catastrophic.
Unprotected nations would suffer fatal blows.
The very existence of those countries could be at risk.
Governments around the world raised their alert levels to red.
It was obvious that their nation's powerhouses would soon become national strength.
They had to locate those who had entered the 'Second Night.'
"......Han Yeon Group's eldest son Han Shin, Seoul Alliance Leader Lim Chang-yeol, Southern Alliance's Seo Su-gil, and numerous other 'Super Awakeners' are all unaccounted for."
The situation was the same in South Korea.
The government had identified 'Super Awakeners'—those above ordinary Awakeners, who had surpassed limits and were expected to embody national power itself.
They had secretly and meticulously tracked their movements, keeping them under constant management.
Yet most of the roughly hundred powerhouses on the list were now unaccounted for.
"Do you think they all entered the 'Second Night'?"
Park Sang-min, the Minister of the newly established government department 'Abyss Safety Department' following the Abyss outbreaks, sighed as he took the report.
The 'Abyss Safety Department' was a government agency with autonomous authority over all Abyss-related matters.
Though newly formed, it was the top organization capable of swiftly and accurately grasping and responding to Awakener management, supervision, and Abyss statuses.
"Yes. It seems around 18,000 Awakeners, including the 'Super Awakeners,' entered the 'Second Night.'"
The man who handed over the report recited the current situation.
Park Sang-min's sigh deepened.
18,000 out of a million were Korean.
And that was just what they had identified—likely more.
Koreans were undeniably serious about the Abyss.
And none of them had returned.
All had entered the 'Second Night' and vanished.
24 hours in, the 'Abyss Safety Department' had moved quickly to assess the situation, but no returnees were reported.
"How many 'Super Awakeners' have confirmed survival? I mean those who didn't enter the 'Second Night.'"
"Five."
"...We need to prepare for the worst case. Oh, what about Han Yeon Group's response? All their heirs are confirmed to have participated in the 'Second Night.'"
Han Yeon Group, one of Korea's top conglomerates and among the top 10 groups.
Their eldest son Han Shin and second son Han Min-oh had disappeared.
Both had entered the 'Second Night.'
"Are you curious about Han Shin, or Han Min-oh, Minister?"
"......Is it confirmed that Han Shin entered the 'Second Night'?"
Park Sang-min asked with a hardened expression.
Han Shin was classified as a 'Super Awakener,' but his second brother Han Min-oh was not.
Above all, Han Shin's potential was top among the 'Super Awakeners.'
A young hero positioned at the apex to lead Korea.
They had shown immense interest in 'Han Shin.'
"Confirmed."
"Hoo......"
Park Sang-min's face darkened.
The Super Awakeners had vanished en masse.
With no returnees worldwide, total annihilation seemed likely.
'The future looks dark.'
What to do now.
Should the government attempt to cultivate new 'Super Awakeners'?
Of course, several similar projects were underway, but results had been lackluster.
Park Sang-min believed forced cultivation was futile.
The Abyss only held meaning if one grew stronger through their own efforts.
No matter how much the state trained them, it paled compared to the Awakener steeling their own will and entering the Abyss once—that was hundreds of times better.
Naturally, the loss of naturally emerged 'Super Awakeners' was bone-deep.
18,000 in name, but all were Korea's future.
Yet they couldn't force participation either.
The 'Second Night' allowed entry just by gazing at the full moon in the night sky.
"We need countermeasures......"
"Minister!"
Bam!
At that moment.
The door burst open, and another man rushed in breathlessly.
Park Sang-min tilted his head and asked.
"What is it?"
"Th-they're back!"
"Who?"
"The Awakeners who entered the 'Second Night'!"
"......!!!"
Park Sang-min's eyes widened like saucers.
...They returned?
After a full day had passed?
But there was something even more important.
18,000 identified.
Estimated at least 20,000 or more participants.
"H-how many returned?"
How many of them returned.
...No, how many Super Awakeners survived.
The messenger, sweating profusely, said.
"W-we don't know. But it seems most of them returned!"
"......Understood. Prioritize identifying the returnees as quickly as possible."
The participants who entered the Second Night have returned!
That fact instantly set the world abuzz.
They had assumed everyone who participated was dead after a full day passed.
Yet they returned.
And most of them came back alive.
Over 800,000 out of a million.
Survival rate: 86.7%.
Even by raw numbers, that meant 867,000 Awakeners survived and returned.
"It's all thanks to Korea's Lee Hyuk-soo."
"Dragon Hunter! Thanks to the one who soloed the 'Dragon God General' in the 'First Night,' we all survived."
"Dragon Killer? No, Lee Hyuk-soo is a god!"
"Estimated survival rate was only 11.1%! The 'Second Night' was hell compared to the 'First Night'!"
"Lee Hyuk-soo achieved the 'Unique Achievement,' saving us all. Amen."
"Wasn't the 'Legendary Quest' also cleared by Lee Hyuk-soo?"
"A dragon has appeared in Korea."
The returnees.
They all shouted Lee Hyuk-soo's name in unison.
The rule was death if you didn't reach 100 contribution points.
Yet most participants hadn't even reached 100.
The powerhouses had monopolized them.
Even capturing a mere doppelganger meant the Fugitive's Mark was easily snatched away.
But Lee Hyuk-soo achieving the 'Unique Achievement' granted everyone 1,000 contribution points.
And that wasn't all.
"Platinum Boxes for everyone!"
"They're insane, for real!"
"Heard they even drop up to Ancient grade?"
867,000 people received 'Platinum Boxes' as rewards.
A gift for the survival rate far exceeding expectations.
As a result, countless creators who bet on the 'Second Night' went bankrupt.
Even the Moon Lord Aheta suffered heavy losses.
"......Korea's Lee Hyuk-soo?"
"He cleared the First Night and Second Night all by himself?"
"Is Lee Hyuk-soo the messiah of this era?"
"We should invite him to America at least once."
The eyes of the world turned to Korea.
The savior who rescued a world and future on the brink of despair.
Lee Hyuk-soo was there.
While all eyes were on 'Lee Hyuk-soo,'
Park Chan-woo was checking the 'Status Window' floating before him dozens, hundreds of times.
Affiliation:Earth / Human / Republic of KoreaName:Park Chan-wooAge:27Gender:MaleHeight/Weight:180cm / 67.5kgLevel:-84
Status:Extremely Frail, Sickly, Feeble, Non-Existent, Terminal (511 days), Immune to All PoisonsTotal Attack Power:1,340 (340+1,000)Total Defense:1,920 (520+1,400)Overall Penetration:10%Magic Critical:32%Magic Casting Speed:25%Magic Double Cast:25%Magic Effect:25%Magic Regen:644%Active Auras:
Golden Aura (Attack/Defense x2 based on coin count)
Seeker’s First Step (All stats +1 per 10 coins)
Fame:54,000Class:Magic Swordsman (Lv 19)Usable Magic:Reflection (Great Magic, Unique), Heavenly Punishment (Lightning Magic, Unique), Super Regeneration (Passive, Unique)Class Hidden Traits:
(1) 「Eternal Sword」 - ???
(2) 「Eternal Magic」 - Destroys the race's 'fundamental magic'
Remaining Class Level Points:0
'Attack and defense are higher than I imagined.'
The changes were clear.
Compared to before, the growth was incomparable.
It was too stark to attribute merely to surviving one 'Second Night.'
The 3 'Class Level Points' gained from deeper phase comprehension had immediately been invested into raising his 'Magic Swordsman' class level.
Moreover, attack power had risen by nearly a thousand, defense by about 1,500.
Over three times the previous values.
And the stat changes?
'Thanks to Baal's Belt and Track of Divinity, strength and stamina have risen abnormally.'
Baal's Belt boosted both stats by a whopping 66 each.
Plus, 'Track of Divinity' had an option granting +5 strength per Legendary-grade or higher equipped slot.
Perhaps that's why.
His body felt far more solid and healthy than before.
'Looking at the Status Window, I could pass for a warrior.'
With strength and stamina surging, the stat balance had flipped.
Who would think 'mage' seeing this Status Window?
Though he wielded a weapon, Park Chan-woo intended to stick to the path of 'Archmage.'
Thus, the current Status Window was problematic.
Imbalanced.
'...Matches a level 40 warrior.'
But strength and stamina mattered little for casting magic.
He was healthier and stronger, but should he be thrilled?
'Anyway...... what did I miss?'
But the math didn't add up.
Attack and defense exceeded his calculations.
Park Chan-woo scanned the Status Window and soon realized why.
'Ah. So that's it.'
He had briefly miscounted.
One item's grade had changed.
'The Golden Mystery of Arhat's grade rose.'
As coin count increased, the equipment grade upgraded.
It had the unique option: 'Grade of Golden Mystery rises upon holding a certain number of coins.'
And surpassing 100 coins unlocked the 4th option.
'Golden Mystery of Arhat, and the Mythic title.'
Confirming just two more things—equipment and title changes—would let him predict future potential.
Park Chan-woo checked the equipment and title updates.
And then.
"......Hold on."
Park Chan-woo tilted his head.
"What kind of option is this?"
There was an option he'd never seen before.