Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Third Night (19)
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The Legendary Quest has been cleared.
This news reached not only the participants of the "Third Night" but also the "creators" who had been keeping an eye on it.
The creator community was burning hotter than an active volcano.
Aheta, the lord of the moon, had boasted of victory in the "Third Night" and received a massive influx of coins from the creators.
The resulting "Third Night" was flawless in every way, no matter who looked at it.
He had even summoned the Temple of Death and Anubis itself.
Humans clinging to life could never defeat the "Legion of Death."
...But then.
The Legendary Quest reappeared, was resolved, and Aheta's defeat was now on track.
For the investors who were certain of victory, this was maddening.
If humanity won, they would lose every coin they had invested.
The investing creators let out sighs of relief once more.
This "Third Night" was one that Aheta had put everything into.
On a night with a "Super Blue Moon," even clearing the Legendary Quest wouldn't make it fade.
It was like the absolute authority of the night manager.
Aheta still had a way to win.
Normally, clearing a "Legendary Quest" forces the outcome.
Wasn't that the case in the Second Night?
Conqueror Khan's palace emerged, time was forcibly extended, and upon completing the Legendary Quest, the Second Night naturally ended.
With humanity's victory.
But a night with a "Super Blue Moon" is different.
There was still a chance.
The initial set limit: five days.
The moon wouldn't set within that time.
The night would continue.
Over three full days remained!
'Reset it to invalid.'
'Don't leave a single one alive.'
'Aheta, this is your last chance!'
If he lost territory again and suffered defeat, Aheta wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.
Bankruptcy or losing his "night manager" qualification—one or the other.
Bankruptcy seemed more likely at this rate.
And Aheta's bankruptcy meant death.
The countless lords wouldn't leave a disqualified Aheta alone.
They'd devour him, tear him apart, savor him, and seize his remaining territory and treasures.
So if he wanted to live, he had to fight desperately.
The only way was to nullify the Third Night entirely and reset it.
And to nullify it meant wiping out everything inside the "Third Night."
The humans, the demon merchants gathered for profit, and...
...No victors, no losers left behind.
That was the only way to render the game "invalid."
It would still be a heavy blow, but better than defeat and bankruptcy.
The creators who had invested massive coins watched the "Third Night" unfold with fire in their eyes.
Of course, there wasn't much they could do, but depending on the outcome, countless creators could go bankrupt.
"...Archmage."
And at the same time.
A Demon King furrowed his brow.
He was the supreme being who had reached the pinnacle in wielding hellfire from the infernal realms.
The lord of flames that even other Demon Kings avoided!
In a place where lava bubbled and hissed.
Seated on the throne at its center, the Hellfire Demon King glared into the void with eyes full of rage.
Someone had usurped his position.
Erased his name from the Hall of Fame.
Even the ‘Immortal Crest’ he wore had vanished.
But that wasn't what truly enraged him.
It was just being pushed out of the Hall of Fame.
‘Solara.’
The fact that she no longer acknowledged him.
It had been a long time since the Hellfire Demon King entered the Hall of Fame, but this was the first time his ranking had been stolen.
As a result, his connection—his contract—with ‘Transcendent Solara’ was forcibly severed.
The Hellfire Demon King opened his mouth, enunciating each syllable deliberately.
"Ar...ch...ma...ge."
He would burn that bastard to death.
Incinerate him in hellfire, leaving not even a soul behind.
His gaze turned toward the distant depths of the Abyss.
Toward the domain of the "Third Night," where the Super Blue Moon hung.
"Pack up and close shop! We're out of time!"
Demon merchant Dagon.
He shouted urgently from his "emporium" operating in the Third Night domain.
‘Damn you, Aheta!’
He could guess what Aheta was planning now.
To wipe out everyone here and nullify it all.
‘Creators are all so damn unlucky...!’
That naturally included the merchants here.
A clean slate to start over.
He had to escape before the Legion of Death reached them, before Anubis attacked.
Before that "Super Blue Moon" in the sky set.
"Dagon, don't make a fuss."
At that moment, a demon running another shop nearby barked at him.
Looking at Dagon with utter disdain.
It was Bevola, who had ranked second in the "contribution shop" during the Second Night.
Dagon scowled.
"A fuss? You call this a fuss? Does this situation look like a joke to you, Bevola?"
"Trust in Lord Aheta. He's not some fool of a creator. Killing us would ruin relations with the demon merchant guild. You think he'd make that move?"
"Do you think Aheta gives a damn about that? Can't you see that moon up there? He's already lost his mind!"
"Tch, running a shop in the night domain and talking disrespectfully about Lord Aheta. I've recorded that with this ‘recording bug.’ You'll never enter a ‘night’ again."
Bevola pulled out a snail-like bug.
A creature known as the recording bug, capable of storing surrounding sounds in any environment.
Demon merchants, distrustful of each other, always carried these recording bugs.
In short, Bevola had provoked Dagon from the start to make him say something rash.
Dagon sighed deeply.
"Do whatever you want! I'm getting out!"
"Abandon your emporium and run? Haha! You don't even qualify as a merchant. With such a small mindset. That first place in the ‘Second Night’ must've been pure luck."
Bevola sneered mockingly.
Abandoning a shop and fleeing would get Dagon expelled from the merchant guild.
But Dagon ignored Bevola and turned away.
If his suspicions were right, he had no time to deal with Bevola.
Aheta had blocked new entries and forcibly prevented escapes for everyone inside.
‘In other words...’
...A declaration of intent to wipe them all out without exception.
Demon merchants weren't exempt.
‘Just running won't let me survive.’
He bit his lip.
Simply fleeing wouldn't save him from Anubis and the Legion of Death.
To survive, he needed a miracle.
‘Can't just run and hope Dragon God Sepiro saves me.’
No matter how transcendent Sepiro was or that he'd cleared the Legendary Quest, Aheta was dead serious.
In the clash of whales, the shrimp's back would shatter.
He wanted to live.
He had to survive and become a grand emporium owner!
"S-save us!"
"We're all gonna die!"
Humans were fleeing in the distance.
Dagon shouted at them.
"Hey! Humans!"
The fleeing ones turned to look at Dagon.
Dagon continued.
"Do you want to live?"
"Y-yes, we want to live!"
"Then re-equip at my ‘emporium.’ Pledge your lives, souls, and everything you have as collateral. I'll give you gear worthy of that value."
"E-even our souls?"
"Or die here? If you die here, it's over anyway!"
A dog’s death.
Their souls wouldn't even reach the "true heavens."
If nullified, Aheta would seal this territory completely.
"I-I'll do it!"
"We offer them!"
The terrified people obeyed Dagon without hesitation.
Dagon quickly rearmed them.
With even better gear and tools.
Bevola shook his head watching this.
‘You're truly insane, Dagon.’
What Dagon was doing was a merchant taboo.
It was antagonizing the creator.
Moreover, he was providing gear purely based on assessed value.
Not seeing even 1% profit.
Was that even a merchant?
He was proceeding with a pseudo-contract, not a real one.
Not a formal contract; Dagon was acting as a middleman to contract directly with the "demon merchant guild."
Merchants who did that were exclusively contracted ones.
The guild took a bigger cut, leaving little profit.
No reason for non-exclusive merchants to use that method.
‘Who'd he sign an exclusive contract with?’
Dagon puzzled for a moment, then shrugged.
Either way, once the Third Night ended, Dagon was done.
Expelled from the guild and the demon world.
Even Dagon's father, his backer, couldn't fix this.
‘...Try your best, you fool.’
Creak!
The Outer God grinned.
Gazing at those collapsed before him.
"Warrior with a heart of steel, to fulfill your wish, I need their souls."
"Huff... huff...!"
Park Chan-woo breathed raggedly.
His breath was insanely short. His heart felt like it would burst.
—That's easy. Fine. I'll erase your "limited lifespan."
The Outer God had indeed promised to grant his "wish."
But as expected, there was a condition.
—But only if you defeat me.
Battle ensued immediately. Kankun, Priest Yan, and all the orcs united against the Outer God.
Yet the Outer God toyed with them like playthings, subduing them effortlessly.
He could kill them outright but chose not to, thoroughly enjoying the game.
"How about it? Sacrifice these orcs' souls and have your wish granted?"
The Outer God said playfully.
His face full of leisure.
Power befitting the strongest lifeform.
Not even fully grown, yet none—including Park Chan-woo—could lay a finger on him.
‘The strongest I've met since regressing.’
...Impossible to win.
The gap was insurmountably vast.
No plan came to mind.
Yet it was strange.
Why ask permission instead of forcibly claiming souls?
‘These souls connected to me can't be taken freely.’
Kankun, the ten thousand orcs, Priest Yan.
All souls originated from him.
Strongly linked, beyond even the Outer God's reach.
Proving it, souls from other sectors had all been absorbed.
Park Chan-woo spoke.
"You can't recover the warriors' souls, so you can't leave the temple, huh."
"Oh!"
The Outer God clapped.
"Correct, human! Your wisdom surpasses Aheta's!"
Genuine admiration.
A frank confession.
Why he was doing this. Why he wanted the orcs' souls.
‘No other way now.’
He'd tried everything.
But one card remained unplayed.
He'd held it till the end, unsure of the consequences.
But he couldn't hold back anymore.
"...Charpam."
...If both were Outer Gods.
Charpam had once raged at the Heavenly Demon's name.
Unknown what reaction he'd have facing this one.
Thus, he hadn't summoned lightly.
However.
"Awaken."
"Hm?"
Shoooo...
The Outer God watched Charpam emerge quietly from the shadows.
At the same time.
"Oh? You... Could it be the White Whale?!"