Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: King of the Thorn Hell (Lv84)
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Solomon, this was a rare opportunity.
The Creator of the Invisible Hand's collector's obsession was beyond imagination. They almost never gave up on something they'd stolen like this.
Framing Kim Byung-han to provoke the opposing Creator into opening a Targeted Abyss meant that, at the very least, the Creator of the Invisible Hand had abandoned their claim to this ring.
That left only one remaining obstacle.
The Creator who gave the Ring of the Dead's Oath to Andariel, allowing him to operate in the Night Abyss as a Game Master. They must be the same entity who opened this Targeted Abyss.
The one who opened this Targeted Abyss.
Who could it be?
The Ring of the Dead's Oath that Kim Byung-han stole was the very ring Andariel, that demon, had worn to seal his own rank.
But there was a high chance the ring itself didn't belong to Andariel.
The mere existence of an upper demon in the "First Night Abyss" was ironic in itself.
The Abyss War had only just begun.
Even Creators needed "Coins" to create Abysses, and crafting a powerful one naturally consumed more Coins.
At this point in time, no Creator would have enough Coins to spare, so they wouldn't take the reckless step of placing an upper demon in an Abyss.
Not even the "Owner of the Moon" who opened the Night Abyss.
From the start, an "upper demon" would have been out of the question for selecting a Game Master.
Yet, some Creator had forcibly inserted the upper demon Andariel into the Night Abyss, even going so far as to lower his own rank.
Park Chan-woo was convinced that this Creator was the one behind this Targeted Abyss.
The master of this Abyss. To own the ring without worry, I need to bankrupt the Creator who targeted Kim Byung-han.
To have the ring, he had no choice.
A rank was like an existence or soul itself.
The Ring of the Dead's Oath perfectly sealed Andariel's rank.
The fact that it was discovered the moment Kim Byung-han stole it meant the ring's owner—the Creator—was paying close attention.
And with the additional sniping, it didn't seem like they'd give it up if Park Chan-woo took it.
There was a high likelihood of continued harassment.
So, to fully claim the ring, he needed to decisively bankrupt the Creator in this Targeted Abyss.
"Wh-what do you mean by 'framed'?"
Kim Byung-han asked, and Park Chan-woo shrugged.
"It means the entity you contracted with pinned all the blame on you."
"Th-then what should I do? Will throwing away this ring end it?"
Kim Byung-han made a face like he was about to burst into tears right then and there.
It would be nice if discarding it solved everything.
"It won't end."
"Y-yes...?"
"Even if you throw away the ring or hand it to someone else, the one who made this Abyss will make sure you're dead."
He answered truthfully.
Because this Targeted Abyss reeked of malice toward Kim Byung-han.
It's structured solely to destroy him.
The organization Kim Byung-han had loyally served for half his life.
The sniping began the moment he clocked in at its heart.
Only colleagues from the same building, the same company, were summoned to the Abyss. And they were ordered to kill Kim Byung-han themselves—people who knew him.
And that was just the beginning.
When the sun was up, it reflected his surroundings. When the moon rose, evil spirit bats hounded him, wearing him down to the extreme.
Yet the knife's handle was always handed to the humans.
Betrayal from those he trusted.
That was the intent: to tremble in rage and despair amid that betrayal before dying.
If that wasn't malice, what was?
Thus, discarding the ring wouldn't save Kim Byung-han.
...Unless Park Chan-woo gave him a Coin.
"Ah... Aaaah...!"
Kim Byung-han broke down.
Tears and snot streamed endlessly as he clenched his fists and pounded the floor.
He wanted to protest his innocence, but his boiling emotions choked him silent.
"S-save me... Please save me! Can't you save me?"
In the end, Kim Byung-han reached out and grabbed Park Chan-woo's pant leg.
Park Chan-woo replied with cold eyes.
"Why should I risk myself to save trash like you?"
"I'll give you this ring! Anything I have... all of it... Cough!"
He vomited blood amid sobs.
Even so, his trembling hand didn't forget to offer the ring.
Left alone, he'd die soon enough.
Surviving here by himself was impossible.
"Fine. I'll save you."
"...!"
"But."
Park Chan-woo leaned down.
Then he whispered into Kim Byung-han's ear.
"You'll have to grant my next request, no matter what."
"Y-yes, I understand. Kugh!"
Kim Byung-han gasped raggedly.
His face was pale, the skin under his eyes blackened to deathly hollows.
This would do.
Creator of the Invisible Hand. Half a year from now, during the Racial War, when he goes after the God's Droplet, I'll snag it.
Half a year from now.
The first "Large-Scale Abyss" would open.
A game called the "Racial War," where 120 million humans in the past were offered as sacrifices.
On that day, the "13 races," including humans, would meet for the first time, competing to determine rankings—and rewards or punishments based on them.
Even against the weakest opponents in the first Racial War, humanity couldn't avoid last place.
And amid that, the Creator of the Invisible Hand and his avatars succeeded in stealing the "God's Droplet" from the host.
Park Chan-woo intended to claim it for himself.
...In this Racial War, we need to rank at least 8th.
No punishments started until 8th place and above.
If they could secure at least 8th, humanity might avoid the near-reset catastrophe.
The problem was that Park Chan-woo alone didn't have the power to achieve it.
It was a showdown watched by all of humanity and the 12 races.
The strongest humans would face off against the warriors of the weakest 12 races.
To climb to 8th or higher, either Park Chan-woo himself had to reach "impassable wall" levels of strength, or he had to rapidly grow so-called "geniuses" like Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo.
My own nose is barely above water.
Lv -96.
He was too busy growing himself to develop others.
Thorough monopolization.
He had to strengthen himself first before he could look after anyone else.
Like the saying that leisure comes from wealth, only after Park Chan-woo grew strong could he afford to survey his surroundings.
Park Chan-woo snatched the ring from Kim Byung-han like a conquest.
At the same moment.
...So it turns out like this, huh.
But that was fine.
The ring's level wasn't what mattered in the first place.
📛 Name:Ring of the Dead's Oath
📊 Level:-96
⭐ Grade:Ancient
📜 Description:
(1) A ring containing the oath of the Dead Duke who once divided the continent. Legend says it can fully contain one existence due to the oath. However, when the contained existence's magic power is depleted, durability decreases by '1'.
(2) Currently contains the magic power of 'Upper Demon Andariel'.
(3) Only those who share an 'oath' with the existence contained in the ring can use it.
🎯 Equip Slot:Ring
🛡️ Defense:15
🔧 Durability:1
✨ Unique Options:
(1) Andariel's Soul (Lv84, 178 Magic Power)
(2) King of the Thorn Hell (Lv84, Ancient)
"...!"
Park Chan-woo inwardly cheered.
It was just as he'd expected.
Jackpot.
No, beyond jackpot—a super jackpot.
So it was a demon with a king's hierarchy.
King of the Thorn Hell!
That was Andariel's descriptor, and the source magic he'd sealed away.
But why was a guy worthy of the title "king" playing the clown in the Night Abyss?
Rule change, huh.
They're pushing too hard.
Changing rules in an already-created Abyss was a huge gamble.
It required pumping in even more Coins.
That showed just how attached they were to this ring.
Honestly, it was baffling.
Was the Ring of the Dead's Oath really worth investing extra Coins?
Fine. I'll bankrupt you.
This worked out even better.
The Death Knight appearing in just two hours.
If Park Chan-woo took it down, the Abyss's master would naturally go bankrupt.
Screeeeech!
Pfsh!
It was then.
An arrow flying from afar.
Shiiing!
Fortunately, Radiant Anubis sensed it first and blocked it with its body.
"That bastard isn't a demon—he's human!"
"Kill them both!"
"Hurry! We're short on time!"
People began appearing one by one.
Their numbers exceeded a hundred.
Even with Anubis, Park Chan-woo couldn't handle them alone.
To use the Ring of the Dead's Oath, I need to form an oath with the existence contained within.
In other words, only someone who formed an "oath" with "Andariel" could wield this ring.
That meant Andariel himself, who infused it with magic power, or someone extremely important to him.
However, that was fine too.
Park Chan-woo had already formed a powerful "oath" with Andariel once.
The Abyss Pact. Nothing tops that.
What was an oath?
A vow, a promise.
Through the Abyss Pact, Park Chan-woo and Andariel had sworn on their hearts.
Andariel perished as a result, but it was still an oath—an oath nonetheless.
Looking at the people charging ferociously, Park Chan-woo said,
"Engulf them all, King of the Thorn Hell."