Chapter 359
Chapter 359
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 359
Chapter Title: Representative Selection Tournament (5)
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"……."
The moment he saw the scoreboard, Han Shin froze solid.
He knew exactly who Adora was.
How shocked he'd been when he saw her with Lee Hyuk-su.
'That's definitely the Death Witch Adora I saw in the Tower of Arrogance.'
The first place Han Shin had encountered the Death Witch Adora was the Tower of Arrogance.
'No one would ever guess she's the witch of the tower.'
Even now, with her helmet and armor making it hard to recognize her at a glance, there was no doubt.
A sudden powerhouse appearance.
A being that instilled the terror of death and despair the instant you faced her.
Why was that witch who ruled the Tower of Arrogance traveling with Lee Hyuk-su? He had no idea.
She wasn't even human to begin with.
Of course, Han Shin hadn't seen Adora in person since then.
With the Tower of Arrogance gone, he'd assumed she'd vanished along with it.
Even during the fourth night in the "Realm of Night," she never left the underground prison.
He'd sensed an intense battle breaking out but had sent Lee Hyuk-su out and stayed put.
After that, he'd been kidnapped by the dragonkin only to be suddenly released.
He'd contracted with the demon god, forged a pact with Lee Hyuk-su, and made it here to the selection tournament.
But of all the luck.
'Why did I have to draw that witch?'
His bracket luck was rotten.
Even players from the same nation had to fight depending on the draw.
It was all to select the "humanity's top ten strongest" in this final round, after all.
'I don't want to go all out just yet…….'
Han Shin didn't think it was time to reveal his full hand.
Get selected moderately into the "humanity's top ten strongest," finish the interspecies war as a representative, and fame would follow naturally.
Besides, Han Shin was contracted to the demon god Belial.
In the interspecies war, sure—but using a demon god's power in front of everyone? No way.
So far, he'd held back just enough in each match to win.
But Adora was a different story. He couldn't take her lightly.
'I'm not the same guy I was back then.'
He'd been through hell.
Trials no ordinary human could endure.
From the Night Manager Aheta to the Demon King of Karmic Flames, and even the demon gods.
Beings on entirely different levels had all come gunning for him.
Proof of his exceptional talent.
And after contracting with the demon god, his growth had exploded.
Against the Death Witch Adora he'd seen in the Tower of Arrogance back then, he figured he had a solid shot even without tapping into the demon god's power.
Smoothly.
Han Shin quietly ascended to the arena.
Adora was already waiting motionless at the center.
Her gaze, hidden beneath the helmet, locked onto him.
Even before the referee's starting signal, the air in the arena had already grown unrealistically heavy.
"Ma... Match start!"
The instant it began, a change rippled from Adora's side first.
Just like in her previous matches, she stood utterly still.
But something invisible began creeping outward from her, insidious and unrelenting.
A bone-chilling cold. A despair that gnawed at the soul. An aura of death that denied all living things.
It was pure existential pressure, undetectable even by mana sense.
Her previous opponents had crumbled pathetically, their minds shattered the moment—or even before—this aura touched them.
The crowd held their breath, expecting Han Shin to follow the same path.
'Impressive.'
The deathly aura finally reached Han Shin's feet.
His robe hem trembled for no reason, goosebumps rising on his skin.
A direct, dense terror utterly unlike what he'd sensed from afar in the Tower of Arrogance.
His heart felt like it was freezing over, his mind on the verge of paralysis.
But.
Han Shin didn't break.
'It's like looking at myself.'
Because that death resembled Han Shin himself.
The pure human Han Shin had died.
He'd become half-human, half-demon, absorbed the cores of countless half-demons, and through the homunculus, been reborn entirely as a new "superhuman."
The contract with the demon god was the finishing blow.
The current Han Shin was a near-immortal existence who no longer feared death.
"……!"
The entire arena fell into stunned silence once more.
When the expected outcome didn't materialize, eyes widened in shock.
"He... he endured it?"
"Did he block Adora's attack?"
"Or did it just not work on him?"
In the midst of the confused murmurs, the Chinese Federation cheering section reacted first.
"What the hell? Is she going easy on him?"
"Giving him a pass 'cause he's on the Korean team?"
"Her vibe's totally different from when she crushed that European guy! They're colluding, obviously!"
They started jeering, claiming Adora was holding back on purpose.
It was a mix of resentment over their hero Yang Cheon-wi losing in one clash—his sword shattered—and unease at this incomprehensible scene.
'Human, yet not human.'
Even Adora was a bit surprised.
She'd thought no human could withstand her "death."
But she instantly recognized Han Shin's peculiar state.
For a brief moment, she decided to unleash a tiny fraction of her authority.
Smoothly.
Adora slowly raised the "Staff of the Throne of Living Beings."
This staff had elevated her realm even further.
'Raising all magic stages by one level.'
The Staff of the Throne of Living Beings had absolute effects.
Especially.
'Transcending one chosen spell.'
The spell—no, "curse"—she'd transcended was one.
Shwaaaaa...
No special magic circle or incantation.
But with a mere gesture from her, the space across the entire arena began to warp.
Black cracks tore open in the air, and from the fissures poured an indescribable extreme chill and despair.
This was the true manifestation of "death" itself—nothing like before.
"...What are you summoning?"
Han Shin froze.
He couldn't move a muscle.
"Wh... what's that?"
"C-can't... breathe!"
The stands were engulfed in terror once again.
And from those cracks, "it" finally began to emerge.
A colossal shape, writhing with hundreds, thousands of black shadows tangled indistinguishably.
Upon closer look, it was an aggregation of evil spirits, each shrieking in agony.
They tore and clawed at each other, yet were forcibly bound into one massive will—a horrific sight.
-Hee hee hee hee!
-Where am I? Who am I?
-I want to kill. Slash. Rip. Devour.
These were the evil spirits Chronos had wielded in the "Tomb of Time."
Chronos had left them behind as-is.
Adora had formed new contracts with them, forging them into a single "curse."
Transcended by the Staff of the Throne of Living Beings, her curse had woven those horrific spirits into a new being.
Named.
'Evil Spirit King.'
A condensation of countless evil spirits' pain and grudges.
Atop its crown-like head, the remnants of the strongest spirits twisted grotesquely, emitting an eerie glow.
"……!!!"
Han Shin felt like all the blood in his body was surging backward.
He immediately raised one hand.
"...I forfeit."
He declared forfeiture.
Because that thing wasn't something he could beat.
An aggregate of evil spirits, the manifestation of a king born from death.
The biggest problem?
Adora summoning it so casually.
'......She's a real monster.'
Unable to reveal his demon god's power right now, forfeiture was his only option.
Survival over pride.
And losing one match was fine.
Just win the rest.
"For... Forfeit! Han Shin forfeits! Winner, Adora!"
The matches for humanity's representatives proceeded at a rapid clip.
Thousands battled relentlessly for seven days straight.
As the seven-day bloodbath ended, the dome arena filled with heavy silence and feverish anticipation.
The gazes of the few surviving awakeners among thousands of participants, and tens of thousands of spectators, all fixed on the massive scoreboard rising above the central podium.
The moment had arrived to announce the ten names who would bear humanity's fate.
Abyss Safety Minister Park Sang-min stepped onto the podium.
His face was even more gaunt than seven days ago, but his eyes burned with resolve.
He stood at the mic, taking a moment to steady his breath.
Every heart waiting for his words pounded fiercely.
"Now... I will announce the final list of ten representatives who will participate in the interspecies war on behalf of humanity."
Park Sang-min's weighty voice echoed through the arena.
"First representative, Martial God Yang Cheon-wi of the Chinese Federation!"
Rooooar!
A massive cheer erupted from the Chinese Federation cheering section.
Though defeated by Lee Hyuk-su, his overwhelming might remained unchallenged, making his selection a given.
Yang Cheon-wi accepted the applause from the VIP seats with a stern expression.
"Second representative, Shadow Assassin Ling Ling of the Chinese Federation!"
Another roar from the Chinese side.
Ling Ling, masked, bowed her head quietly.
Her skills were already proven.
"Third representative, Reaper Johnson of the United States of America!"
Cheers and applause exploded from the American delegation.
Johnson waved leisurely with a smile.
"Fourth representative, Mercenary King Adrianne!"
The stands buzzed faintly.
The world-famous mercenary queen, unaffiliated with any nation, was joining.
From the neutral seats, she gave a brief salute radiating charisma.
"Fifth representative, Han Shin of South Korea!"
Hot cheers burst from the Korean stands.
Han Shin had forfeited to Adora but won everything else.
Park Sang-min paused to catch his breath, then called the next name with added force.
"Sixth representative, Saintess Yoo Jin-seo of South Korea's Special Advisory Team!"
"Seventh representative, Ruler of Spirits Aurum of South Korea's Special Advisory Team!"
Rooooaaaaar!
As Yoo Jin-seo and Aurum's names rang out consecutively, the Korean stands erupted in ecstasy.
The mystical, overwhelming power they'd shown had already left a deep impression on everyone.
Aurum waved impassively, while Yoo Jin-seo shyly dipped her head.
"Eighth representative, South Korea's Special Advisory Team... Adora!"
At Adora's name, the entire arena seemed to freeze in eerie silence.
Her inscrutable power and terrifying presence lingered vividly in everyone's minds.
Adora remained perfectly still, her full body clad in helmet and armor.
But that silence only amplified her dominance.
"Ninth representative, Sword King Lee Hyuk-su of South Korea!"
Lee Hyuk-su's name unleashed cheers dwarfing all previous ones, shaking the dome to its core.
His return and unmatched prowess reignited hope for humanity.
Lee Hyuk-su gazed steadily at Minister Park Sang-min with a calm expression.
Now, the final spot.
Everyone held their breath.
Park Sang-min glanced at the list, then called the last name with resolute determination.
"And... the final tenth representative. After much discussion and deliberation, we selected him for his potential and indomitable will. South Korea's representative, Han Min-oh!"
"Whoaaa……!"
The unexpected name drew gasps of surprise and relieved cheers from parts of the Korean stands.
Meanwhile, puzzled murmurs and grumbles leaked from other national delegations and sections.
How did the guy who lost to Ling Ling make it?
Han Min-oh's eyes widened in disbelief at hearing his name.
Ecstasy mingled with the heavy weight of responsibility on his face.
He'd scraped into the last spot by the skin of his teeth.
With all ten names called, Park Sang-min emphasized once more.
"These ten will be humanity's final representatives, staking our destiny in the interspecies war! Please give them your unwavering support and cheers!"
Defying all expectations.
Six of humanity's "strongest" hailed from Korea alone.
No sooner had Minister Park Sang-min's declaration ended than the arena erupted in massive unrest.
But this wasn't the simple cheers or shock from before.
"Six... six from Korea alone?"
"This can't be right! Wasn't this for humanity's reps? Or was it Korea's selection tournament?"
"No matter how strong Lee Hyuk-su is, or how monstrous that Special Advisory Team is, this is too biased!"
Yet the results stood firm.
They were based purely on win-loss tallies.
Toss-ups decided by rigorous review.
Minister Park Sang-min didn't yield an inch to the protests and suspicious glares.
It wasn't just the representatives who'd fought.
'I staked everything too.'
He'd bet his life on this selection.
That's why.
His voice rang with conviction, brooking no argument.
"This selection process was conducted transparently under the observation of all national delegations. All data and match footage will be released immediately. If you can't accept the results, verify them yourselves. But make no mistake—these ten are humanity's strongest hope."
And on the final day to submit humanity's participant list for the interspecies war.
Just as the countdown began.
Chaos erupted from the Chinese Federation side.
"Yang Cheon-wi vanished!"
"Where did the Martial God go?"
The Martial God Yang Cheon-wi had vanished into thin air.