Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Once Again, Awaken
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Tick! Tick!
Rolling...
Khan's face tumbled down the stairs.
In a single strike from Azos as he kicked off the floor and leaped, Khan's head had been severed.
For a moment, silence blanketed the palace.
"...Did we get him?"
Lee Hyuk-soo spoke with a tense expression.
They had just sensed Khan's overwhelming presence.
With a mere command to "kneel," Lee Hyuk-soo had teetered on the brink of death.
Blood had erupted from his entire body, and the indescribable pressure felt like it would shatter every bone in him.
Yet Azos's power in slaying the three guardian warriors was beyond imagination.
The way he pressed forward relentlessly was downright chilling.
It wasn't all that surprising that he'd felled the Conqueror Khan in one blow.
"Caught you."
It was then.
Khan's body, slumping halfway as if drained of strength, suddenly stood erect again, seizing Azos with both hands.
Even with his head clearly severed, the Conqueror Khan lived.
And that was not all.
Sizzle.
Crack. Craaaack!
...The face above his severed neck was regenerating.
It was a grotesque sight, hard to watch with eyes open.
Bones, veins, facial muscles reformed, eyeballs bulging out.
Everyone had to witness the skin layering over it all in real time.
"He wasn't dead...?"
Lee Hyuk-soo grimaced.
It defied all common sense.
Regenerating an arm or leg was one thing.
A severed head or pierced heart should mean instant death, no time for regeneration.
He'd been certain the guy was dead.
Yet here he was, grabbing Azos with his head cut off, then starting to regenerate.
In other words, he hadn't died.
It had all been an act.
Pretending to die to lower their guard and snag Azos effortlessly.
"...Super Regeneration."
Park Chan-woo muttered under his breath.
That regenerating form looked familiar.
It bore an uncanny resemblance to his grand magic, "Super Regeneration."
The mana flow and regeneration method were on the same level.
The Dragon God Sepiro had forcibly regenerated his entire body through the transcendent mana dwelling in his twelve hearts.
The amount of mana released during regeneration was unimaginable.
The end result of instantaneous regeneration was the same, but it didn't mean Sepiro possessed the grand magic "Super Regeneration."
But this Conqueror Khan was different.
He undoubtedly had "Super Regeneration."
Just like Park Chan-woo.
Though the grade seemed higher.
His own Super Regeneration was at best Unique grade.
Even at max output, it could only regen a single finger joint.
Whereas Khan had regenerated after losing his head.
Ancient grade for an arm, or Legendary for half his body.
And he hadn't died.
'Does Super Regeneration grant immortality traits as the grade increases?'
It was a fascinating topic.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
—Raaaaah!
Spliiiit!
Khan tore Azos's shadow in half.
Astounding strength.
At the same time, Azos was forcibly reverse-summoned.
"Cough!"
Caught in the sudden mana surge, Park Chan-woo vomited blood.
His mana felt utterly depleted.
Even standing was a struggle.
Khan.
Now he somewhat understood why he was called the "Great Conqueror."
'Not bad.'
...An impressive performance.
Pretending to let his guard down, giving flesh to take bone.
"Tsk tsk. Your mana depleted already? Relying too much on Azos, weren't you?"
Khan sneered, regeneration complete.
Azos's desperate strike from his loyal servant had been unexpected, but the outcome was predetermined from the start.
Warriors could never kill him.
They didn't know how.
Even Moon Lord Aheta couldn't kill him, merely sealing him away—this was the natural course.
"Human challenger. Your way of solving the trials was quite intriguing. Humans may lack raw power, but you've got clever heads on you."
Khan nodded approvingly.
Humans appearing in his territory.
The "update" on this new race was already complete.
The Abyss expanded infinitely, always unearthing new races.
Every being in the Abyss naturally learned of them.
Besides, this "second night" played out in his domain.
As king, how could he not know those who trod his land?
"I'll praise you. Honestly, I didn't expect you'd reach this far."
He hadn't anticipated it.
Many races had set foot on this land before.
Yet not a single one had entered the palace.
And now, mere humans had.
According to the update: no standout abilities, low levels, utterly frail bugs.
Yet one reached the palace.
And solved all ten trials in completely unforeseen ways.
Above all.
That attitude of trying to kill him piqued more than interest—it sparked curiosity.
Most fled or surrendered upon sensing the gulf in power.
But this race aimed to kill instead.
Thud.
Khan descended the stairs.
He eyed Park Chan-woo leisurely, appraising him.
"Warriors are strong but dim-witted. Demons are clever but treacherous and sly. So, wouldn't humans fit perfectly under my command?"
They were suitable.
Humans were an alluring race for him to rule.
Not all would be like this one, but even a few like him could conquer countless territories alongside Valhalla's warriors.
A race offering entirely new interpretations, neither demonic nor warrior-like.
Far better than cunning, backstabbing demons.
Far braver, too.
That seemed to be humanity's "talent."
The one even Abyss lords hadn't grasped—the unknown, shining gift.
Irregularity itself.
"You planning to invade Earth?"
Lee Hyuk-soo gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
He could tell Khan was dangerous without experiencing it.
His conquest style seemed brutally thorough.
If Khan's campaign began, Earth wouldn't survive unscathed.
He wasn't the type to spare the weak and powerless.
Naturally, his mother was the most at risk.
She'd regained consciousness sporadically, but still lay bedridden, unable to move properly.
"Hm? Oh, there's one more."
Khan smiled in amusement.
As he'd said, he hadn't noticed.
Park Chan-woo's presence was so overwhelming.
He'd been completely oblivious to Lee Hyuk-soo beside him.
Brave enough to block his path.
But weak.
Too weak to even meet his gaze properly.
Forcing his eyes wide, but incomparable to that challenger.
"Not an invasion. You'll gather at my feet of your own accord."
Wordplay.
Forcing surrender through invasion and destruction.
Making them kneel willingly—that was Conqueror Khan's way.
Not an Abyss demon by birth, he created "created Abysses" differently.
Valhalla's warriors expanded through ceaseless invasion.
And their king, Khan, freely wielded conquered lands and their powers.
Like claiming an Abyss lord's territory to become a "creator."
This was his absolute trait, his unique authority.
Thud.
"I am the Conqueror. The king who will subjugate the entire Abyss. Now that I've revived, the lords will tense up. Earth is mere entertainment in that process."
He descended the stairs.
No more rushing for Khan.
The challenger wielding that strange power, magic-summoning Azos, had exhausted his mana.
No means left to attack him.
And Earth was just the beginning.
His true goal: conquer the entire Abyss!
Force all lords and twelve races to kneel, ascend to godhood via their lands' power.
Shudder!
The closer Khan approached, the more fiercely Lee Hyuk-soo's body trembled.
An instinct he couldn't hide.
Terror of death.
But Lee Hyuk-soo didn't retreat.
He couldn't.
Not just for his mother.
"...Run. I'll buy you as much time as I can."
It was for the Prophet.
He couldn't die here.
The Prophet had to live—not him—for there to be a future.
Earth's survival hinged on him.
'I'm no savior type.'
The Prophet had called Lee Hyuk-soo a "savior."
But no matter how he thought, he was far from such nobility.
The real savior was the Prophet.
Only he could save the world.
Save his mother.
"A tearjerker."
Khan descended leisurely.
Could that trembling body even swing a sword properly?
Even if he did, such a frail being's blade wouldn't pierce him.
True entertainment after so long.
He felt ecstasy crushing the weak.
Would that loyalty hold if he minced the body and scattered it?
Making him beg for life would be delightful.
"Awaken."
It was then.
Whoosh!
A blue aura began swirling around Park Chan-woo's entire body.
Then it blazed like blue flame.
The full mana restoration option of the Star of Pride!
Its mystery had activated.
Now, one thing remained.
Resume the final battle.
Sensing Park Chan-woo's restored mana, Khan sneered.
"Useless. Even resummoning Azos won't let you win."
Would it?
Park Chan-woo curled one corner of his mouth.
He had him figured out.
The Great Conqueror Khan.
Why he wouldn't die, why even Moon Lord Aheta could only seal him—he knew it all.
Now, one thing left.
Kill him.
Park Chan-woo opened his mouth.
"Awaken, Charpam."
What he called was not Azos, but the dimensional challenger Charpam.
Soon after.
Shoooo...
【Ahh. Finally. Finally!】
He who had slumbered long in the negative realm, the "Demon-Sealing God's Chalice."
【I'm back. Damn you, world!】
At last, he opened his eyes.