Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: Transcendent (10)
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After the third night, which had raged like a full-scale war, came to an end...
Sighs of relief echoed across the world.
It was because such a massive number of people had entered.
Had they been completely wiped out, humanity would have been plunged into despair.
But the outcome was the exact opposite.
"I heard the owner of the 'Night' went bankrupt. Is that true?"
"You fought a war against the 'Legion of Death'?"
The news of Moon Lord Aheta's bankruptcy and the events surrounding it had people buzzing with curiosity.
Every media outlet—internet, news, TV—pounced on the returnees like hounds.
The story was just too tantalizing.
A war.
People of different races and nations uniting as one to face a single enemy.
The stage for humanity's grand unification had opened during the third night.
And the foes were the undead, the legions of the dead!
"Screams echoed from all directions. But we didn't retreat a single step."
"Neither Aheta nor the Legion of Death could break the human will."
"Push forward, get pushed back, die, kill! It was a truly horrific war."
"In the Abyss, we were one. For the first time, I realized that when we unite our strength, even demons can't defeat humanity."
It had been gruesome, but it was an equally precious experience.
They had truly learned the meaning of joining forces.
The returnees' interviews followed a similar pattern.
Once their accounts confirmed the tales as truth, headlines exploded everywhere.
「Humanity's Valiant Warriors Fight Valiantly Against an Unbeatable Foe!」
「In Times of Crisis, We Become One.」
「Unyielding Spirit. Humanity Emerges Victorious!」
「Who Is the True Leader?」
「Who Was the Key Figure Behind the 'Night of the Dead'?」
Some even rechristened the third night as the "Night of the Dead."
It was that distinct from the previous nights.
But one question lingered.
Who was the true protagonist, the real hero who led humanity's unification?
The one who had turned the war into a victory.
People spoke in unison.
"Lee Hyuk-soo. He led us."
"He and the Koreans were the main players. Even when factions were divided, so many Koreans tried to unite us peacefully."
"Yeah. Without them, we would've turned on each other."
Humanity's great hero, the protagonist of the second night—Lee Hyuk-soo.
His name rang out across the world once more.
However, not everyone agreed.
"We could fight the 'Legion of Death' thanks to this guy named Park Chan-woo. If he hadn't topped every trial, the war wouldn't have even started."
"Wasn't it Park Chan-woo who cleared the 'Legendary Quest' this time?"
"Lee Hyuk-soo didn't even get near the Temple of Death. He's a war hero, sure, but the real lead is Park Chan-woo."
Park Chan-woo!
That three-syllable name was etched into every participant's mind.
Yet, elevating him to the starring role came with its own issues.
"So, who the hell is Park Chan-woo?"
"Has anyone seen his face?"
"No one has."
"At this point, isn't he just a fictional character?"
No one had laid eyes on him.
Objections bred more objections, spiraling into an endless hell of debate like a Möbius strip.
All they could guess from the name was that he was Korean.
Naturally, all eyes turned to Korea.
"...Minister. There are way more reporters camped out front than expected. Will you still proceed with the interview as planned?"
The hottest topic was the Abyss Safety Bureau.
Rumors swirled that Minister Park Sang-min had spearheaded humanity's unification during the third night.
And beyond that, anticipation that they might know something about "Park Chan-woo."
"Still no leads on him?"
The minister asked, and his aide wiped cold sweat as he replied.
"W-Well... yes. Just the name alone isn't enough..."
"What about the 'Park Chan-woo' that Han Min-oh mentioned?"
"We've tracked his location, but details remain unclear. We confirmed he climbed the Tower of Arrogance with Kim Byung-han and the Seoul Alliance."
"Super-awakened? Hm... must be the real deal then."
"But according to some who climbed with him, he entered the Tower of Arrogance and fled shortly after."
"...So, not the same person?"
"Probably... not."
The unrivaled top ranker of the third night.
He should have shone in the Tower of Arrogance too.
Fled? It didn't add up.
Likely a different person. A namesake.
"This is driving me insane."
Minister Park Sang-min rubbed his forehead.
His original plan was to find Park Chan-woo and elevate Korea's status.
But no luck.
Questions would pour in like rain: Who was he?
'The world's military power has leaped forward a step. Korea can't fall behind.'
The survivors' prowess had skyrocketed.
Even in the Abyss, orchestrating a war of this scale through unity was rare.
Especially with Aheta's bankruptcy scattering rewards to every survivor.
For now, Korea rode Lee Hyuk-soo's coattails as the lead, but soon other nations would steal the spotlight.
They had to find him.
Park Chan-woo. The supreme powerhouse.
"...Lee Hyuk-soo. Is it true? You saw 'him'?"
He changed the subject.
Turning to Lee Hyuk-soo, who had been listening silently, the minister watched him nod.
"I saw him right before being summoned back, in front of the Temple of Death."
"He... Han Shin is alive?"
"Yes. No doubt."
Indeed.
After Aheta vanished and the third night ended.
Just before teleporting back to Earth, Lee Hyuk-soo had definitely seen "Han Shin" at the Temple of Death.
The guy was grinning with a chilling smile.
"He's alive—why didn't he return to the group?"
"Seemed like he'd gained some ominous power."
"Ominous power?"
"I don't know beyond that. Just that chills ran down my spine the moment I saw him..."
Lee Hyuk-soo recalled Han Shin's appearance then.
It was utterly changed from before.
Human on the outside, but it felt like facing an Abyss demon.
Not an avatar, not half-demon.
Something beyond. A more horrifying monster.
Minister Park Sang-min sighed.
"At least he's alive. Too valuable a super-awakener to die."
"..."
Lee Hyuk-soo didn't reply.
'Is it really fortunate that he's alive?'
The doubt gnawed at him.
The minister spoke up.
"Let's go fishing."
"Fishing?"
"You'll be the protagonist of the third night, Lee Hyuk-soo. Say you cleared the unique achievement and the Legendary Quest—not Park Chan-woo, but you."
"...That wasn't me."
"Exactly. That's the bait. If he's wronged, he'll step up himself. It's human nature."
"That's not fishing. That's fraud."
"Yes. So I'll take the heat. You just sit tight. If he shows, I'll apologize personally. A public apology to the nation if needed."
"...Why go that far?"
"That's the job. You sit in this chair knowing you'll get flak. And if it's how Korea survives? I'd do anything."
They had to find Park Chan-woo.
By any means, boost Korea's prestige.
It was tied directly to survival.
That was when it happened.
"Guh...!"
"W-What's wrong, Hyuk-soo!"
Suddenly clutching his heart, Lee Hyuk-soo collapsed. Minister Park Sang-min shouted urgently.
'What the...?'
Lee Hyuk-soo was just as bewildered.
Pain like his heart had stopped wracked his body.
No warning. Sudden agony.
Yet it felt strange.
Like losing something vital.
'What...?'
In an instant, Lee Hyuk-soo's eyes shook wildly.
A party member death message.
But the Prophet's level was worlds apart; they couldn't form a party.
They'd fought together several times, but never as official party members.
...No, wait.
'Did we get forced into a party in Khan's palace?'
Back then, he was the Prophet's knight.
Protecting the kingly Prophet earned him the goddess's blessing—likely forming a party then.
So it wasn't a mistake.
"N-No...!"
His body trembled uncontrollably!
Without thinking, Lee Hyuk-soo reached toward the message.
The Prophet.
He was humanity's hope.
Only he could save the world.
To give his mother a world where she could live in peace, the Prophet was essential.
He shouldn't die—the Prophet should live. Lee Hyuk-soo had to die instead.
Lee Hyuk-soo prayed desperately.
'I'll offer everything I have, so please... spare the Prophet at least...!'
Inside the laboratory.
The golems sensed something amiss.
They detected their blood master—the one enveloping their mana cores—dying.
One by one, the golems began ripping out their own mana cores.
Powerful mana surged from the cores simultaneously, stretching Park Chan-woo's blood that coated them toward the lab's center.
Park Chan-woo.
Connected to his heart.
Thud!
Crash!
The golems without cores ground to a halt.
—...What is this phenomenon?
Transcendent Lil was flustered.
By the event triggered when the heart stopped.
A sight even she had never witnessed unfolding before her.
But what shocked her most was elsewhere.
The culprit behind it all.
Her gaze turned to Park Chan-woo's head.
—Could it be... the Demon-Sealing God's Chalice?