Chapter 362
Chapter 362
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 362
Chapter Title: Racial War (1)
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The system messages that rang out simultaneously across the world were more than mere announcements—they were a grand overture heralding the end of one era and the dawn of another.
The chaos and questions sparked by Lee Hyuk-soo's bombshell declaration lingered unresolved, but now humanity had no choice but to face the reality staring them in the face, whether they liked it or not.
The Racial War.
The curtain had risen on a massive conflict that would determine humanity's very survival.
"A 30-level boost... That's more support than I expected."
US representative Reaper Johnson muttered as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
The fighting spirit flowing through his body felt denser than before.
Just moments ago, in response to the system message, a faint light from the temporary level-up had emanated from their bodies, accompanied by an even stronger aura.
"But we have to assume the other races got similar blessings—or even better ones."
Mercenary Queen Adrianne analyzed the situation coolly.
Her eyes gleamed sharper than ever.
A heavy silence settled over the room for a moment.
Lee Hyuk-soo, Adora, Aorum, Yoo Jin-seo, Han Shin, Ling Ling, Reaper Johnson, and Han Min-oh.
Each of them was processing this moment in their own way.
The empty seat left by Yang Cheon-wi and the lingering mystery of the tenth member, 'Park Chan-woo,' who still hadn't shown up, weighed on their hearts—but now was not the time to dwell on it.
"All preparations are complete."
Lee Hyuk-soo spoke first, his expression stern.
The sword of Baal at his waist seemed to hum lowly in response to his resolve.
There was no turning back.
His resolute declaration sliced through the heavy air in the waiting room like a blade.
It severed even the last traces of hesitation or anxiety.
The eyes of the other representatives began to burn with greater intensity.
There was nothing they could do to turn back now.
They had only one path: to fight for humanity's survival.
"It's time."
Aorum said.
Right before them loomed a massive dimensional gate, the warp gate to the Abyss Tower, flickering unstably with blue light.
Beyond the gate, an alien energy seeped through, mingled with faint sounds—cheers from other races, or perhaps the roars of monsters.
Five minutes.
A time that could feel like a fleeting instant or an eternity.
"Any points we need to watch out for?"
Han Shin asked Adora.
He didn't know how she'd managed it, but Adora was officially registered as a 'Human Warrior' for the Racial War.
In other words, the Witch of Death, Adora, would fight on humanity's side.
She likely knew the specifics of the Racial War.
Though she had contracted with a demon god, the Racial War wasn't something demons experienced directly, so information had been hard to come by.
"Survive. No matter what."
"...What, are you worried about me?"
"If you die, we lose a warrior. Fewer participants make it harder to complete the war."
Adora's response was a brutally pragmatic analysis, devoid of any emotion.
Her red eyes gleamed coldly, as if weighing survival odds on a scale.
Han Shin shrugged with a wry smile.
He hadn't expected human warmth like concern, but her blunt words had a sobering effect.
There was no room for camaraderie or worry.
This was a battlefield where only survival and results mattered.
"Fair enough. This isn't a sport with a second string."
Reaper Johnson chuckled dryly.
His words carried a hint of resignation mixed with savage fighting spirit.
Once on the battlefield, there were no substitutions.
Fall, and that was it.
Maintaining participant numbers was key to the Racial War.
If even one died or became combat-ineffective, the human rep team would have to fight shorthanded.
It wasn't just a power loss—it directly impacted their race's overall ranking.
"No stragglers, hold out as long as possible, rack up achievements... Got it."
Mercenary Queen Adrianne murmured in a low voice.
Adora nodded.
"And one more thing. Don't take the battlefield at face value."
Her gaze pierced a point in the empty air.
As if recalling something from Park Chan-woo's records—or her own experiences.
"The stage of the Racial War isn't just a contest of strength. Remember that other races' deceptions, traps, and even the battlefield rules you take for granted can all be twisted."
It was a warning to suspect everything ceaselessly and adapt to changes, beyond mere survival.
"Our enemies are those who've dominated Racial Wars for thousands, tens of thousands of years."
"......"
"To them, it's not just survival—it's entertainment, a long-standing tradition. For an inexperienced race like humans, relying on honest strength alone... the odds are slim."
Humanity was like a newborn taking its first steps.
Even with the temporary level blessing and the strongest warriors gathered here.
How much would their power and wisdom hold up against ancient races with millennia of experience?
This was a fight on a whole different level from hunting strong monsters or competing against other Awakened in limited spaces.
A colossal war wagering the fate of entire races, unimaginable in scale and method.
Adora's warning forced them to confront the reality more coldly.
"Adora, was it? How do you know all this?"
Reaper Johnson asked.
Here, only he and Ling Ling were completely in the dark about Adora's identity.
Adrianne vaguely remembered her from the 'Fourth Night'.
Memories were fuzzy amid the chaos, but she recalled trying to save Park Chan-woo—and seeing Adora.
As an ally wielding immense curses.
That let her grasp Lee Hyuk-soo's comments.
But not Reaper Johnson or Ling Ling.
Adora stared at Reaper Johnson for a moment in response.
Her red eyes remained utterly emotionless.
"You don't need to know."
Her voice was ice-cold.
It carried a firmness that brooked no further questions.
"......"
Reaper Johnson's brow furrowed slightly.
Her arrogance grated, but now wasn't the time for petty feelings.
Instinct told him the aura from Adora wasn't something he could challenge lightly.
Lee Hyuk-soo sensed the tension and stepped in quietly.
"Adora's info is solid. She's the only one we can consult, so trust and follow her—it's our best bet."
His words showed absolute trust in Adora while shutting down needless doubts.
Aorum and Yoo Jin-seo nodded lightly in agreement.
Finally, the final countdown struck their ears.
With each number ticking down, the blue warp gate pulsed with energy, as if ready to devour everything.
No more words were exchanged.
Solemn resolve etched every face.
They gripped their weapons, steadying their final breaths.
Lee Hyuk-soo turned toward the gate first.
Behind him, the other human warriors lined up single file.
Shwooo!
With the final countdown, Lee Hyuk-soo and the other eight human representatives were sucked into the fierce blue vortex.
An excruciating pressure of spatial distortion twisted and crushed their bodies.
In the chaos where sight, sound, and all senses went numb, how much time passed?
Kwaaaang!
When they came to, they were already flung into a new space.
The representatives sprang up reflexively, scanning their surroundings warily.
The sight before them was overwhelming.
An indeterminately high ceiling—or sky—hosted bizarrely shaped stars, while the ground stretched endlessly in black marble.
Dozens, hundreds of massive pillars thrust toward the heavens in all directions, and between them appeared异種族 of varied forms and auras.
"This is... the Abyss Tower."
Reaper Johnson swallowed hard as he muttered.
Every sense screamed that this place transcended imagination in danger.
"More than I thought."
Han Shin adjusted his stance and grumbled.
Already, countless race representatives were arriving around them, forming their own camps.
Some resembled humanoids, others insects or reptiles, and some defied description in grotesque forms.
The cold system message heightened the nerves of every representative on the vast plain.
But Adora stared at only one thing.
Slowly approaching them.
Thud!
Kuwoong!
The owner of an impossibly massive body.
"...Ataraxia."
The Black Dragon of Despair, Ataraxia.