Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Master of the Holy Sword
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Hoya and the fox man.
Their gazes crossed, unleashing a flood of question marks.
Something that shouldn't have happened was unfolding right before their eyes.
'Did I see that wrong?'
Hoya hurriedly shook his head.
He blinked hard, straining his eyes.
But no matter how hard he tried, the result didn't change.
'No way it could be pulled out...?'
The challenger was gripping the holy sword.
Whoosh—whoosh!
He'd yanked it from the rock like it was his own toy and was swinging it around a few times.
...The perfect scenario's opening scene had just been shattered.
Was the 'Fox Den's' law—that the holy sword's master could only be a fox—broken?
But for Park Chan-woo, drawing the holy sword was easier than falling off a log.
He skimmed the messages floating before his eyes and cracked a smile.
'Time to smash the first button right from the start.'
He had zero intention of playing along with the foxes' scenario.
And though the Fallen Saint Yujinseo wasn't here, to properly confront that nine-tailed fox, he had to become the holy sword's master.
'I need the holy sword's power to kill demons.'
Demons couldn't be killed through ordinary means.
That was the Fox Den's critical flaw.
It was designed so only the holy sword could slay demons—and only a 'fox' could wield that sword.
The problem was that regular challengers had no way of knowing this.
Park Chan-woo focused on the holy sword.
Soon, an info window for the holy sword appeared before him.
🔥 Unique Options:
(1) All demons in the 'Fox Den' die after 10 strikes from the holy sword.
(2) After 100 strikes, the 'Holy Sword' disintegrates.
(2) Cannot be repaired.
(3) The 'Holy Sword user's' stats increase as more people follow them.
For now, only those who became the holy sword's master could see this info window.
Anyone who could view it would conclude the entire Fox Den was a scam—but no human alive could manage that.
'You need at least Legendary-grade observation magic to see it.'
To discern it required possessing an 'Observation' spell at minimum Legendary grade—and unless you were a voyeur, no one leveled it that high.
That's why it only came to light much later.
'The foxes have no real intention of hunting demons.'
The Fox Den's trials were simpler than they seemed.
Five trials.
Kill the five demons overseeing them, and it was done.
The moment you slayed Aura in the fifth gateway, it cleared, and the Fox Den—having fulfilled its fate—would vanish as planned.
That's why the foxes were desperate.
Clearing this Abyss meant their deaths.
That was why this otherworldly Abyss was so vicious.
The Creator who made the Fox Den—a creation Abyss—had lost authority when the world ended.
In short... this Abyss had no owner.
'It sucks in countless lives, and the Fallen Saint Yujinseo gains her freedom.'
The biggest problem was still Yujinseo.
The Fox Den had existed for quite a while, claiming countless lives.
After devouring nearly a million lives and coins, Yujinseo finally became this Abyss's new master.
She even started masquerading as a human on Earth.
An unprecedented event: a monster from a creation Abyss invading Earth.
That situation had to be stopped.
"...C-Congratulations. The master of the holy sword has appeared...!"
Hoya finally snapped out of it and forced the words out.
It deviated from the scenario, but a holy sword master had been born.
As the official guide, he had to congratulate them.
'...How the hell did this happen?'
The male fox—who'd planned to show up last as the protagonist—wore a dismayed expression.
He never dreamed another challenger would draw the sword.
'Is that guy a fox too?'
If so, then he was a fox.
The holy sword wouldn't recognize a non-fox species as its master.
But even thinking of that man as a fox felt off.
This Abyss had everything scripted.
From one to ten.
'Wait. Did the scenario change?'
The only possibility was a sudden scenario rewrite.
Only the nine-tailed fox had authority to alter scenarios.
If it happened out of nowhere, even he might not know.
This was the tenth temple, so news could be slow.
No, that wasn't it.
He and the guide might not know, but that bastard did.
'You son of a bitch. You deliberately kept it from me!'
The male fox glared at Park Chan-woo's back with a hint of jealousy.
If the scenario changed, couldn't he have given a heads-up?
Yet he'd humiliated him.
He must have known about the change.
He'd clearly drawn the sword right in front of him on purpose.
'...Just you wait.'
Grind!
The male fox gnashed his teeth.
But he quickly calmed himself.
Losing the supporting role sucked, but could this sudden upstart really handle the mission?
Yeah. It wouldn't last long anyway.
He'd disappoint Queen Nine-Tails and get demoted again.
Before the first trial, he'd need to 'enchant' everyone gathered here first.
Neither Hoya nor the male fox planned to help.
'Let's see how well you do.'
Unfortunately for them, Park Chan-woo wasn't a 'fox'.
So he couldn't use enchantment either.
He had no choice but to approach things differently from the foxes, who seduced and led people naturally.
While all eyes were on him after drawing the holy sword...
Park Chan-woo addressed the crowd.
"Do you want to live?"
...Do you want to live?
The onlookers were dumbfounded.
Who would want to die?
Everyone was struggling to survive.
No one suddenly trapped in an Abyss wanted to die here.
Dying meant no body left behind.
'What the hell is this guy doing?'
'Is this really the changed scenario...?'
Both Hoya and the male fox questioned Park Chan-woo's actions.
The original scenario involved subtly enchanting people and motivating them.
Let's defeat the demon Aura together.
Let's all escape this damned Abyss!
"I'll keep you alive."
Ting!
A single coin flicked from Park Chan-woo's hand.
And that wasn't all.
Shrr...
Ten coins soon piled up in his palm.
"C-Coins!"
"Crazy! How many coins is that?!"
The people freaked out.
Coins could get you out of the Abyss.
But they were harder to obtain than stars in the sky.
The strong might stockpile a few, but these people were ordinary awakeners without even one.
Their eyes naturally went wild at the sight.
Park Chan-woo spoke leisurely.
"To those who truly believe in me and follow me, I'll gift these coins."
He couldn't do a fox's enchantment.
But this kind of enchantment? He could.
Maybe even stronger than a fox's.
'Materialism at its finest.'
Park Chan-woo chuckled inwardly.
Wasn't this true enchantment?
Not vague hope, but a direct ticket to escape.
No method stirred desire more powerfully.
"What if that's a lie?"
"Right. Why should we follow you?"
Naturally, the people were skeptical.
Holding ten coins meant he was an incredible powerhouse.
But powerhouses were likely incarnations.
Even if not, they were dangerous.
In the Abyss's structure, to monopolize and grow strong, you had to sacrifice others.
Park Chan-woo shrugged.
"What you'll do for me isn't fight. I can handle the battles alone."
"Then what do we do?"
"If following you doesn't mean fighting together..."
Their doubts were reasonable.
Park Chan-woo nodded and spoke.
"Stay behind me without straying. Bring more people to join me."
"Are there others here besides us?"
"Ah, now that I hold the holy sword, I know. More will join soon."
Hoya and the male fox were stunned by his response.
'Leaking the scenario?'
'What the fuck is this guy?'
He was insane.
A fox leaking the scenario!
If the queen found out, he was dead meat.
...Or was this part of the changed scenario?
But it still felt wrong no matter how he thought about it.
Was this really the scenario?
And those coins.
Even decent foxes couldn't touch that many.
Splashing them around without hesitation?
Unless he was truly mad...
"When you join other groups, gather thirty to follow me. I'll gift a coin for that. Oh, and this offer's only for those gathered here, so keep it secret, please."
"R-Really? Just bring thirty and you give a coin?"
"I can swear it on the 'Messenger of Oaths' if you want. Just bring thirty who'll believe and follow me."
"I'll do it!"
Only then did the people start cheering.
Gather thirty from other groups that joined.
No need to fight—that promise moved them.
Thus, a self-perpetuating 'enchantment legion' was complete.
'A fox's enchantment takes time anyway.'
Foxes enchanted slowly.
Sudden perception shifts bred resistance, which broke it quickly.
So early on, stronger 'enchantments' won out.
Park Chan-woo had cast the strongest enchantment spell on them.
He'd tapped survival instinct and motivated them simultaneously.
Not torture by false hope, but real hope.
At that moment.
The holy sword began to shine brightly. Power surged through him.
But he wasn't satisfied with this.
There were ten temples.
Assuming about a hundred per temple, roughly a thousand people.
'If they all follow me, I can kill Aura alone.'
Kill all five demons, including Aura, and the Fox Den clears.
The moment it clears, the Fox Den vanishes—and the foxes inside with it.
"Alright, let's head out."
The first trial.
He slowly made his way to where all holy sword users would gather.
...Where she—the nine-tailed fox and Fallen Saint Yujinseo—would be.