Chapter 473
Chapter 473
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 473
Chapter Title: Dawn Star of the Beginning
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Bahamut's departure from the Dragon God Temple left a heavy silence in its wake.
In that moment, a pure golden aura began to rise from the bodies of the tens of thousands of dragons prostrated before the jade throne.
It was faith itself.
Not born from forced submission or fear.
This was the clear, untainted light of faith that only those who truly accepted and acknowledged a new king—a new era—could emit.
Hwaaaaa—
Tens of thousands of streams of light converged into a massive river, pouring into Park Chan-woo upon the jade throne.
Park Chan-woo closed his eyes, fully embracing the sensation of his existence transforming.
Once the Tribal War's blessing had ended, his level had reverted to the precarious -30.
He had barely staved off collapse using the heart of Sepiro's clone, but his body and soul still screamed under the weight of a divinity too vast to bear.
But now, the dragons' pure devotion began to restore that fragile balance.
Their belief formed a mighty shield against the world's causality, while their origin's warmth healed his wounded soul.
At last, Park Chan-woo's body found stability once more atop the firm foundation of the dragons' faith.
And this was only the beginning.
'...Up by 5 already.'
A faint smile tugged at Park Chan-woo's lips.
Level -25.
In the negative level range, jumping up 5 levels in one go was an enormous achievement.
The goal of level 0, once a distant mirage, now came into slightly sharper focus.
'I must reach at least level 1 before the deadline expires.'
And if he crossed level 0 again into positive territory.
He would be incomparably stronger than now.
His previous power had been a temporary boon, reliant on the Tribal War's blessing—an external factor.
Even that had let him touch the realm of gods from zero.
But if he ascended to that height through his own will and effort alone? How overwhelmingly powerful would he become?
Park Chan-woo was certain.
That was the only path to confront Sepiro, who had fled beyond the Great Rift, the seven great lords still lurking in the shadows, and the unknown destroyer.
But at the same time, a new constraint emerged.
'No one—not even the dragons—can know I've weakened.'
He was now their new god.
Their faith remained steadfast, rooted in awe of the overwhelming might he had displayed.
But if they learned their new god had weakened after the Tribal War, teetering at a fragile level -25?
It would falter.
Faith not yet fully rooted could crumble easily under doubt and unease.
'I need to find a way to level up in secret.'
The Dragon God Temple was safe, but it was also under the gaze of every dragon.
He couldn't train recklessly here.
The Black Witch's final clue surfaced in his mind.
'The Transcendent's Domain.'
Yes.
There, he could escape the Abyss's surveillance and causality, growing his power safely.
Either way, all preparations were complete.
Park Chan-woo rose from his seat.
Now, it was time to inspect the sweet gifts Sepiro had left behind.
He reached out toward the two artifacts scattered around the jade throne.
One was a beautiful obsidian necklace emitting faint starlight from pitch-black darkness.
The other was an ominous red gem pulsing irregularly like a living heart, exuding bloody vapors.
The moment he picked up the necklace, an info window appeared.
"...Horizon of Oblivion."
Park Chan-woo murmured the name softly.
In an instant.
Brrr!
The 'Star of Arrogance' around his neck began to resonate violently.
Two fragments of divinity.
Like long-separated brothers finally recognizing each other, yearning for reunion.
Hwaaaaa!
Regardless of Park Chan-woo's will, the two necklaces floated into the air and fused into a massive orb of light.
The pitch-black oblivion clashed fiercely with the arrogant star's divinity, intertwining until perfect harmony was achieved.
When the light faded, a completely new necklace hovered before him.
"......!"
Insane. The performance had exactly doubled.
'Demi-God grade.'
Park Chan-woo's eyes gleamed with wonder.
The grade had upgraded from Quarter God to Demi-God as well.
A satisfied smile crossed his face as he reached for the next trophy.
A straightforward description.
But within that simplicity lay primal, overwhelming power.
'Tyrant's Thirst' would make him infinitely stronger the longer the battle dragged on, while 'Tyrant's Madness' would serve as the ultimate joker to overturn desperate situations.
Of course, the penalty of succumbing to madness was undeniably dangerous.
But Park Chan-woo was confident.
His iron will, tempered through countless regressions and deaths, could surely control that level of madness.
Satisfied, Park Chan-woo pocketed the two trophies.
Then, he stood.
Now, it was time to usher in a new era.
Standing at the highest point of the jade throne, he conveyed his will to the tens of thousands of dragons awaiting him.
His voice was neither as domineering as a dragon tongue nor as cryptic as a divine oracle.
It was simply a calm, sincere promise from one being to another.
"I promise to become your new god and lead you down the right path."
Every dragon in the Dragon God Temple held its breath.
"The era of Sepiro, filled only with destruction and chaos, is over."
Park Chan-woo's gaze swept over the dragons, lost amid past wounds and confusion.
"We will no longer be bound by outdated glory or wander in the shadows of erased history. We will move forward."
His voice gained strength.
"Pursue what you desire, your dreams, to your heart's content."
Dreams.
That word made the Sloth Dragon Darcan's eyes tremble fiercely.
"I will create an era of dreams. An era where you need not abandon your potential to the logic of power. An era where creation and coexistence are valued over domination and submission. An era where each of your unique talents and passions becomes a great myth enriching this Abyss."
Park Chan-woo spread his arms wide.
"I will spare no support in helping you achieve those dreams."
His final declaration shook the Dragon Tribe's history to its roots—a truly revolutionary one.
"No more tribute or offerings to the Dragon God Temple. The blood and sweat you shed deserve to be yours alone."
"......!"
"Your research achievements as well. From now on, the fruits of that great wisdom will serve your own glory."
The dragons doubted their own ears.
The chains of exploitation, ongoing for tens of thousands of years, taken as natural.
This new god vowed to sever them with a single stroke.
Awe and emotion shook their bodies.
'He's different.'
'He truly thinks of us.'
To Sepiro, they were mere ornaments to glorify his dignity, consumables for his whims.
To Bahamut, they were subjects to be controlled under the name of order.
But Park Chan-woo was different.
He did not seek to rule them.
Instead, he promised to respect each one's unique value and help their potential bloom.
Not a king serving the people, but an era where every individual could become a king themselves.
It was true 'respect'—something dragons had never experienced in eons.
In that instant, the hearts of all dragons in the Dragon God Temple united perfectly.
Doubt turned to conviction, awe to absolute faith.
The first to move was the Sloth Dragon Darcan.
Trembling, he took a step forward and bowed deeply to the new god on the throne, offering everything he had.
"My... all my wisdom and techniques, I dedicate to the new era Your Excellency shall create."
Behind him, the Despair Dragon Ataraxia followed, then all the tribal leaders knelt in unison as if by promise.
At last, every dragon in the Dragon God Temple cried out as one.
"We pledge our loyalty to the new Dragon God!"
"We shall follow the path of great glory!"
Their voices merged into a massive echo, resounding through the Dragon God Temple like a grand anthem heralding the dawn of a new era.
