Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 017
Chapter Title: The End of the Tutorial (4)
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A horrific stench had hung over the puddle, but now Lee Sang-hyun stood in its place.
"......"
Opening his eyes, Lee Sang-hyun checked his status. He started with the status window, the easiest thing to recognize.
He could tell at a glance.
It was on another level from before. Clearly several dozen times stronger, far beyond just a few times.
"Awakening... no, Transcendence."
This was transcendence, far beyond the awakening category. Nothing else fit the bill.
"Ridiculously strong."
He didn't even need to test it. He could feel the massive power surging from his heart.
Thump! Thump!!
"It feels like a dream."
He'd grown so strong it almost seemed unreal, making him wonder if it really was a dream.
Fortunately, pinching his cheek proved it wasn't. This was stark reality. And it came with weighty responsibilities.
"......"
Lee Sang-hyun thought of Tethys. Her once-pure body had rotted away, reeking terribly, yet she hadn't given up and waited for him.
A resident of a ruined world.
...But that didn't stir any guilt or sorrow in him. Honestly, he felt detached.
He could pity her suffering, but it couldn't become his life's goal.
It was another world's affair, after all.
But there was one promise he could make.
"I'll repay them for what you gave me."
This wasn't about loyalty or justice—it was a 'contract.' Giving back as much as he'd received.
Lee Sang-hyun vowed to avenge Tethys to the extent of what she'd given him.
"I stake my life on it."
Shaking off his thoughts, Lee Sang-hyun decided what to do next. There was only one immediate task.
"Time to climb."
He would scale the cliff.
"With my current power, it should be easy enough. Finding the exit won't be hard either."
Lee Sang-hyun planned to climb the cliff toward the exit, not the entrance. Once he found it, no need to take the long way around.
But Nameless blocked him.
"Breakthrough...?"
Nameless urged him to breakthrough. Lee Sang-hyun easily interpreted it.
"So, not through the exit—escape via the entrance."
His interpretation was spot-on; Nameless nodded behind him.
"Fine by me. I wanted to test how strong I've gotten anyway."
Lee Sang-hyun accepted without complaint. He'd escape through the very entrance where he'd first entered this place.
This news plunged the players into shock.
"The rankings' top spot changed?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"They cleared a dungeon already? That possible?"
"Stage 1...?"
"Insane..."
"Heard they were a late bloomer. Guess anyone could clear it."
"Something's off. Did they awaken mid-fight? Or did the top guy slip?"
High-ranking players reacted sensitively to their sudden drops.
"Even Stage 1 was supposed to take 24 hours... What happened? Can't make sense of it."
"Hidden treasure? A secret piece?"
"Constellation power maybe...?"
"Could be sponsorship. Some constellations can do that, right?"
"...Must've been a close race with 1st."
Among them, former 1st-place Kang Mu-hyuk's reaction was pure shock.
"Wh...at...? Why...? How...? The rankings flipped...? I... I was overwhelmingly 1st...?"
He couldn't comprehend it, struggling to regain his composure.
"Why......"
Then, with help from his constellation, Edge of the Sword, he barely pulled himself together.
Bowing his head at Edge of the Sword's advice, Kang Mu-hyuk apologized.
"...Forgive me, great Constellation. I wavered for a moment."
He felt ashamed at his own shaking resolve. He could barely lift his head.
"It won't happen again, my Constellation."
His shaken eyes regained their original sharpness—like a honed blade, firm and keen.
Squeeze.
But a spark of resentment lingered in a corner of his heart.
Edge of the Sword knew but feigned ignorance. That spark would fuel Kang Mu-hyuk's growth even further.
Not as intensely as Kang Mu-hyuk, but the Strongest 7 were still plenty shocked.
Chosen by 6th-tier constellations like him, they frowned at a Nameless Constellation's player stealing 1st.
"...Not one of us Strongest 7, but some unheard-of trash takes 1st."
The man's name was Ryu O-shin—whether pride or arrogance, it burned fiercely. A Chinese player chosen by 6th-tier Great Sage Equal to Heaven. His Heavenly Horse class or innate nature made him rage at trash above him.
"...Even early game, for lowly scum to stand over me. Infuriating. Truly infuriating."
Grind!!
His murderous glare revealed the depth of his fury.
"......"
Arhim from Brazil in South America hardened his face coldly. Chosen by 6th-tier Ark of Death as a Death Lord, he despised the situation.
"5th was bad enough... now 6th. Heh heh heh. Absurd."
Honestly, revolting.
Like gnats buzzing his ears—disgusting, repulsive enough to slaughter everything breathing.
"...Gotta endure for now. Can't do anything till we leave here."
Arhim harbored hatred for those above him. Even fellow Strongest 7 were mere rivals.
Kaguya, Japanese player, Eternal Shrine Maiden chosen by 6th-tier Yamata no Orochi, asked her god.
"Noble one. A lowly one dares stand above us. What should we do?"
Her voice was clear and calm, yet laced with contempt akin to hatred.
Blatantly discriminatory, yet Yamata no Orochi answered.
Bowing at Yamata no Orochi's question, Kaguya replied.
"Yes, noble one. All as you will."
Vladimir, Russian player chosen by 6th-tier Akasha as Crimson Vampire, smiled quietly.
His smile was chillingly eerie, befitting his class.
"Nameless Constellation's player... Interesting. Don't know who, but talented. Hmm. Would love to drain their blood... Shame."
Slurp.
Licking his red lips was spine-chillingly creepy. Anyone seeing it would flee despite his beauty.
"Wow! Even among the untalented, there's a standout! Amazing!"
Genuinely astonished was Aria, Italian player.
Chosen by 6th-tier Maria as Holy Maiden, she had a special class.
"Not as good as us, but still impressive! Taking 1st place!"
Rude and belittling to others. But not to her—she truly praised him.
"Too bad though. Chosen by a named constellation, it'd be better. Probably 2nd or 3rd tier at best. Low-difficulty class too."
Aria pitied the Nameless player's constellation.
"Good job anyway, nameless one! Keep pushing. Though you can't be Strongest 7."
Whether innocent or what, unclear. But Aria harbored no malice.
All genuine.
"...1st in rankings."
Jack Roar wore an inscrutable expression—annoyed or intrigued?
New York player, Hero chosen by 6th-tier Eve, he casually sliced an orc warrior and shook off the blood.
"What do you think, Eve?"
"Even with rankings dropping?"
As Eve said, a 6th-difficulty Hero couldn't dominate early.
Of course, as Strongest 7 and humanity's strongest acknowledged by all 6th-tiers, Jack Roar was different—but even he had limits early on.
"Often?"
"So we wait?"
"Cryptic, but I get it."
Jack Roar grasped Eve's hidden meaning. He decided.
Charge ahead from the start.
Show who he was.
"As a Hero, gotta take risks. Alright. Let's aim for 1st."
Eve watched such Jack Roar with delight.
Just as night ends and morning sun rises, the endless cliff climb neared its conclusion.
"!!"
Faint yet vivid crimson light undoubtedly leaked from the 'entrance.' Nothing else made sense.
Finding the entrance, a fleeting smile crossed Lee Sang-hyun's face.
'Finally here.'
It had taken a full 10 hours. After climbing the cliff for 10 whole hours, he'd returned to his starting point.
Of course, more climbing remained, but now within reach—it was as good as arrived.
Calmly suppressing his excitement, Lee Sang-hyun ascended the cliff.
The sheer face was perilously steep; one slip meant plummeting. Cracks from wind and moisture seemed ready to crumble at a touch...
Zing! Zing!
Fortunately, Super Sense prevented disaster. Lee Sang-hyun dodged dangers as if he knew them all, climbing steadily.
And before 10 minutes passed,
he reached the entrance.
The gateway to the prison dubbed the Tomb of the Fallen.
'Let's go.'