Chapter 327
Chapter 327
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 327
Chapter Title: Creator Park Chan-woo (2)
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The moment Park Chan-woo saw the name "Pride" that the Black Witch was obsessively fixated on, he fell deep into thought.
Perhaps this was the one true goal etched into her heart.
Until now, Park Chan-woo had thought the Black Witch was trying to create the "Lord of Pride" through Adora.
But looking back now, her ultimate objective might have been something entirely different.
'Was the Black Witch trying to become the Lord of Pride herself?'
Adora had merely been a tool.
The real purpose was likely to seize that qualification the instant Adora completed her transformation into the Lord of Pride, as per the plan.
However, the Black Witch's scheme had been derailed by an unexpected variable.
Because the one who became the Lord of Pride wasn't Adora—it was Park Chan-woo himself.
It hadn't been intentional, but he was already an archmage who had mastered absolute magic, including Wish.
On top of that, he'd transcended his species' limits with the power of Easter Egg (002), and by sheer coincidence, he'd even obtained the "Black Witch's Heart" that was the final piece.
In other words, Park Chan-woo had unwittingly fulfilled every condition needed to become the Lord of Pride.
'...I wonder how furious the Black Witch would be if she knew.'
Her lifelong ambition snatched away in an instant by some random person—she'd probably faint on the spot.
Even Park Chan-woo himself hadn't anticipated this outcome.
Not when he'd entered the Tower of Pride, and not even when he'd recruited Adora as a companion.
But the reality was crystal clear.
Now that he had become the Lord of Pride, Park Chan-woo could wield enormous influence across the entire Abyss.
'So the Black Witch was ultimately trying to dominate the whole Abyss.'
Her true plan must have been to use the special authority of the Lord of Pride to create a powerful "Created Abyss" over the entire Abyss.
That would allow her to forcibly control everything—a fitting ultimate goal.
It made perfect sense why she was so desperate to reclaim the moon and her heart.
For Park Chan-woo, this gave him one more reason to utterly overwhelm her in the interspecies war.
That raised another question.
'Does a Rift count as Abyss territory?'
Rifts and the Abyss were completely different dimensions.
They operated under entirely different laws.
Yet they were closely linked and interacted with each other.
They weren't entirely unrelated.
"Cygnus, can you check my status?"
「...You've become the Lord of Pride, Father.」
Since Cygnus and Park Chan-woo were connected at the deepest level of their souls, she must have immediately sensed his change.
"What do you think?"
「I can't be certain... but it's possible.」
The possibility was slim.
Given the laws of the Rift where divine beasts existed, they wouldn't easily yield the "Sanctuary" position to a human.
Even if they recognized him as a divine beast, Park Chan-woo wasn't of the direct lineage to begin with.
Only Cygnus had that qualification.
If he forced his way into becoming Sanctuary and the divine beasts united against him, there'd be no way to fend them off.
And yet.
"It's still worth a shot."
It was worth trying.
The chance wasn't zero.
If he succeeded in creating an insoluble dilemma in the Rift for the divine beasts—one they absolutely couldn't resolve—and helped Cygnus absorb the power by solving it, they'd even have a shot against Sepiro.
Park Chan-woo pointed at the floating object before him.
It was an intriguing system.
Normally, a Created Abyss had a level cap determined by the territory's nature.
For example, Valhalla's cap was 90—a level even most demon lords' territories struggled to match.
But thanks to the Lord of Pride's authority, Park Chan-woo seemed able to raise the level cap himself.
If that was true, it meant he could create Created Abysses far more powerful than imaginable.
For the sake of experiment, Park Chan-woo quickly combined a few fragments.
Once the cap exceeded level 10, the cost doubled. But it wasn't anything to worry about.
Thanks to the fourth-night casino showdown and the subsequent events, he had amassed an enormous fortune in Coins.
He already had over 20,000 Coins—more than any ordinary demon lord could dream of.
'Coins are overflowing.'
Spending a few on combining fragments was nothing.
If he succeeded in creating his true goal, the "Rift King," it'd be a profit even if he burned through them all.
Park Chan-woo's hands began moving busily again.
He kept adding more Created Abyss fragments.
The higher the level, the stronger the monsters, trials, and artifacts that could be placed in the Created Abyss—in proportion.
You could never exceed the level cap with trials.
You could argue impossibility in comprehensive trials, at best.
Linking impossible tasks like hidden pieces was the limit.
And everything in a Created Abyss revolved around Coins.
'This is fun.'
Confidence settled into Park Chan-woo's fingertips as he crafted the Abyss.
It wasn't a path he'd foreseen from the start, but now he fully embraced his fate.
In fact, the thought of turning this situation back on the Black Witch brought a strange thrill.
No, not just the Black Witch.
He had become a Creator.
Now he could strike other demons from behind, attacking via unexpected routes.
If only he could bend the Rift to his will, there was no better scenario.
'I'll become the true Lord of Pride for you.'
The King of Divine Beasts.
It was a historic moment when the Rift's master would change.
All divine beasts waited breathlessly in the sanctuary for that "period of contest."
『Who is the direct heir to lead the next era!』
『Who is worthy of becoming the true Sanctuary!』
The sanctuary heated up with the divine beasts' fervor.
Because the direct heirs to succeed the Sanctuary were about to appear.
Soon, light descended upon the sanctuary.
Divine beasts of mighty bloodlines began stepping forward one by one with dignified strides.
Their entrances were a spectacle.
Some spread enormous wings to dominate the sanctuary skies overwhelmingly, while others entered majestically, radiating holy golden auras from their entire bodies.
『Heir who inherits the king's soul, step forward!』
The sanctuary guardians chanted their names, hyping the atmosphere to a fever pitch.
As the direct heirs displayed their pride and majesty, the sanctuary was soon engulfed in cheers.
『What beautiful forms.』
『As expected of the direct heirs!』
『Great beings to end this chaos!』
It was a true festival atmosphere.
The Rift could only exist if a new Sanctuary was born swiftly.
But they hoped for a powerful one.
The stronger the Sanctuary, the stronger the Rift and divine beasts.
It would create more opportunities to devour Abysses, absorbing undigested fragments in an instant.
That was when it happened.
In an instant, every divine beast in the sanctuary froze.
『A Created Abyss...?』
『Impossible. Who could create a Created Abyss in the Rift!』
『To think such blasphemy would occur right before the direct heirs' contest.』
The divine beasts exchanged confused glances.
The Rift was a world for divine beasts alone—a place where Created Abysses could never exist.
As flustered voices filled the sanctuary, a massive divine beast stepped forward with a booming cry.
『This is no time for that. We need to check it first.』
Even in the chaos, the divine beasts moved swiftly.
They left the sanctuary and headed to where the problematic "Created Abyss" had appeared.
And upon arrival, the divine beasts shuddered.
Before their eyes stretched a Created Abyss of a scale unlike any they'd seen.
Its entrance yawned like an infinite abyss, and a powerful force emanated from it, shaking the entire Rift.
『...A Created Abyss made of inscrutable fragments.』
『How did they combine fragments only the Sanctuary can digest?』
The divine beasts were speechless for a moment.
It was a genuine Created Abyss.
In a flash, another shocking message appeared before them.
Dazed, the divine beasts stared at the message for a long while.
They had always forcibly devoured Created Abysses until now.
They'd never challenged one directly.
It was prey, not a challenge.
......A Created Abyss they couldn't destroy or eat had appeared in the Rift.
And if they didn't challenge it, the Rift would become the "Lord of Pride's."
The biggest issue was the "maximum entry level."
Level 80.
The epitome of awkwardness.
Only the direct heirs qualified.
No—even among them, some might not make the cut.
『...What kind of ridiculous situation is this?』
As one divine beast finally muttered in disbelief at this absurd chain of events,
All the divine beasts could do was nod in stunned agreement.