Chapter 167
Chapter 167.
Not long ago.
When the Transcendent voting period ended.
[Notice: Player 'Mike' has won the Transcendent vote.]
[Notice: Player 'Mike' has been elected as humanity's Transcendent.]
A notice appeared to all humanity.
Announcing that Mike had been elected as a Transcendent.
"Whew……."
Mike, who had been anxiously waiting for the voting results in his mansion.
First let out a sigh of relief when the notice appeared.
"Congratulations on becoming a Transcendent, Mike sir!"
"I knew you would win!"
And his secretary and bodyguards offered congratulations to him.
Mike smiled with even more composure than usual.
"Thank you all for the congratulations. But there are too many messages popping up right now, so please wait outside for a bit."
"Understood!"
After Mike sent the people away like that.
He checked the system messages that appeared after becoming a Transcendent.
He had told the people around him that there were too many messages to check, so they should go out.
[You have become a Transcendent.]
[You gain 5 'Divine Power' stat.]
The reality was the complete opposite.
'What? Why aren't there more messages?'
I won the election and became a Transcendent.
This means I've become an existence that stands shoulder to shoulder with monsters like Son Goku, Heracles.
And Gershu.
But what?
Really just giving me 5 Divine Power and that's it?
'……That's not it, right?'
Mike stared into the air with anxious eyes.
Right.
It must be taking a long time because they're processing data or something.
I became a Transcendent.
Humanity's first Transcendent.
It can't really end with just 5 Divine Power.
Of course, the stat called Divine Power.
He knew how good an ability it was from watching Heavenly Demon's broadcasts.
'Fuck…… 5 means it's lower than that bastard!'
According to the broadcast Heavenly Demon streamed.
You need Divine Power 10 to become a Transcendent.
But I became a Transcendent, so why do I only have 5 Divine Power?
Mike crossed his arms.
He continued staring into the air with bloodshot eyes.
But no more messages appeared.
'No…… Is this really the end?'
Divine Power 5.
Of course, objectively speaking, it was a good reward.
This stat had tremendous value, enough that the SSS-grade item 'Owl of Twilight' and ten million dollars given to Heavenly Demon weren't wasted at all.
But.
'If that guy becomes a Transcendent…… I'll eventually lose first place!'
I thought I would definitely have the upper hand over Heavenly Demon just by becoming a Transcendent.
But if that guy achieves Divine Power 10 and becomes a Transcendent.
All the world's spotlight will shine only on Heavenly Demon, just like now.
Currently, I'm world ranking 1st because I became a player earlier and accumulated achievements.
But this is just what I got because of high level and previously built accomplishments.
Looking at Heavenly Demon's growth speed, someday the world ranking 1st position will be taken too.
"Ugh…… Don't mess with me! Something else should appear!!! This can't be the end!!!"
While staring into the air.
Mike unconsciously shouted loudly.
As much as his expectations for Transcendent were great.
The disappointment he felt from the message ending with 'Divine Power +5' was tremendous too.
Then.
Ding.
[Orc Transcendent 'Gershu' hosts a 'Transcendent Meeting'.]
[Gershu invites the new Transcendent to the 'Transcendent Meeting'.]
[Will you accept the invitation?]
A new message appeared.
"Transcendent Meeting……?"
Right after becoming a Transcendent.
Hosting a meeting while inviting the newcomer.
And the meeting host was none other than Orc Transcendent 'Gershu'.
Since Mike had also seen through Lee Ganghan's broadcast that he was an extraordinary Orc.
'This, isn't this a trap?'
He was suspicious of this invitation's true intention.
But.
Ding.
[When attending the meeting, you can obtain information about 'Transcendents'.]
[After the meeting ends, the player can safely return to their original world.]
The following phrase caught Mike's attention.
'I can obtain information about Transcendents……?'
Mike, who became humanity's first Transcendent and had too little information.
But if I just attend that meeting.
I can learn more about Transcendents?
'Right. Being a Transcendent can't end with just Divine Power +5. Those monsters…… there must be a reason they're so strong.'
There's also the phrase saying I can return safely.
I need to attend the meeting and somehow obtain information.
Mike made that resolution.
And accepted the invitation.
Then.
[You have accepted the invitation.]
[The 'Transcendent Meeting' will be held within 48 hours.]
The following message appeared.
When it said the meeting would be held within 48 hours.
'Then…… I can't enter towers.'
Mike thought since he didn't know when he'd be called to the meeting.
He couldn't enter towers.
And while doing various external activities until the meeting was held.
"You're curious what changed after becoming a Transcendent? I'd like to show you all too, but right after becoming a Transcendent, I was invited to a 'Transcendent Meeting', so I have to handle that schedule first."
"Sigh…… If it wasn't for the meeting, I would have shown you the Transcendent's power. What a shame. I promise to enter a tower immediately after the meeting ends!"
He publicly declared several times that he would enter a tower and show the Transcendent's power once the meeting ended.
This wasn't just Mike making empty promises despite not having Transcendent power.
'After attending the meeting…… I'll be able to learn how to operate a Transcendent's power. Right, ending with Divine Power 5 doesn't make sense!'
It was a statement mixed with his own hope that he might gain something after just attending the meeting.
And as time passed.
[The Transcendent Meeting will begin in 10 minutes.]
When a message appeared saying the meeting would begin in 10 minutes.
Mike sent a notification message to his TowerTube channel.
Swish.
And looked at the secretary standing beside him.
"……Good, secretary. Who are the Transcendents again?"
"Gershu, Kobold King, Son Goku are confirmed, and Heracles is presumed to be a Transcendent. And according to what Heavenly Demon separately found out, the owner of a place called Golden Fragrance is also a Transcendent, called 'Dragon Lord'."
"Is that so……?"
"And most recently, there's talk on YouTube connected to Heavenly Demon's channel that Lovecraft is a Transcendent, but this needs confirmation."
"What's Lovecraft again?"
"He's the author who created the Cthulhu Mythos……."
When the secretary tried to explain about Lovecraft at length.
"No, isn't that person human anyway? How can a human become a Transcendent of another place. That YouTube probably said something ridiculous to raise views."
"There are such suspicions……."
"I don't want to hear about some made-up mythology, so skip that story."
Mike didn't want to hear more about 'Lovecraft'.
While checking information about Transcendents like that.
[The Transcendent Meeting is being held.]
Soon a message appeared saying the meeting was being held.
"It's time. Then I'll go."
As soon as those words ended.
Flash!
Mike's body disappeared, engulfed in pure white light.
"……Will he be okay?"
This meeting.
Only a very few people, including the secretary, knew that Gershu hosted it.
Even though they clearly saw last time that the Orc Transcendent was no ordinary existence.
Mike responded to the invitation just believing the message saying he 'can return safely'.
'I hope nothing happens.'
The secretary turned on the TV with a worried face.
Then there.
[I am currently in the Transcendent meeting room.]
Mike had turned on TowerTube.
And was broadcasting for quite a while.
***
'The viewer count will soon break existing records……!'
Mike, who attended the Transcendent Meeting.
Inwardly smiled seeing the viewer count rapidly increase as soon as he turned on the broadcast.
After Heavenly Demon appeared.
The channel's viewer count stagnated, then entered a decline from September.
Had secured another chance for a rebound.
-Oh Mike! How long has it been since your last stream
-Transcendent! Transcendent!
-Congratulations on becoming a Transcendent, Mike!
-Attending a meeting right after becoming a Transcendent, the level is definitely different :)
-But what ability did you gain from becoming a Transcendent?
-You look the same on the outside?
-I heard rumors that Transcendent abilities aren't much, that can't be true right? :(
Meanwhile.
In Mike's chat window, chats related to Transcendents were flooding up.
Especially what viewers were curious about was the ability gained from becoming a Transcendent.
Mike, who couldn't bring himself to say it ended with Divine Power 5.
"Thank you for the congratulations. But for now I'll turn off chat to focus on the meeting."
Immediately turned off the chat window.
And looked around the meeting room space.
'Is it similar to the map that appears when encountering different races?'
The marble terrain commonly seen whenever meeting different races in towers.
However, the difference was that the space itself was endlessly vast.
And the ceiling wasn't even visible.
Step, Step.
When Mike slowly walked forward.
Whirrr…….
A blue portal was generated before his eyes.
[Do you really want to attend the meeting?]
Then a message appeared above the portal.
"How many times are you going to ask if I want to attend the meeting?"
Mike frowned and entered the portal.
Then.
Whirr…….
Beyond the portal, first.
A large marble round table came into view.
"Even the round table is marble. Just how much does the tower's designer love marble……."
When Mike clicked his tongue looking at the round table.
Swish.
Someone suddenly popped out next to him.
"Hello?"
When Mike was startled by this and looked to the side.
A man in a suit with a pale face and impressive angular jaw came into view.
"A person……?"
"Oh! You're white. What's your nationality by any chance……?"
"American."
"Ooh!"
Someone who shrugged his shoulders and got excited with each of Mike's answers.
"I'm American too! I was born in Rhode Island."
When he revealed even his home state.
Mike initially thought he came to the wrong place.
He expected to see Transcendents of different races, but here he was having small talk with some depressingly-looking middle-aged man.
Then.
'Ah, right. The secretary definitely said earlier…… Lovecraft?'
The 'human author' among Transcendent candidates she told him about.
Even when hearing it earlier, he scoffed, saying how could an author who created mythology become a Transcendent, and didn't listen to more information.
If I knew this would happen, I should have listened more carefully earlier.
While Mike thought like that.
"Are you by any chance Lovecraft?"
He asked the man in front of him for his name.
Then.
"……How do you know my name?"
Lovecraft, completely opposite from earlier.
Asked back with a stiffly hardened face.
"Well, what is it? Ah, right. I heard you're the founder of the Cthulhu Mythos. So you really became a Transcendent?"
"Ah……."
The person with a skull-like gaunt face and gloomy eyes.
As soon as he heard the name 'Cthulhu'.
"Cthulhu……."
Lost focus in his eyes.
Then.
Crack! Crack!
'Huh?'
Suddenly eerie tearing sounds came from Lovecraft's body.
When Mike felt some unknown anxiety hearing this.
Swoosh!
Giant tentacles burst out wildly from Lovecraft's body.
"What, what is this……!"
Mike tried to step back.
Swish!
Part of the tentacles bound his body.
Thud! Thud!
And part struck his body with tentacles.
"Kuh, kuek!?"
After the sudden attack.
Just briefly letting out pained groans.
Bang! Bang!
The tentacle attacks were so powerful.
Soon Mike's entire body.
Was completely shattered beyond recognition.
Then.
"Hiii……!"
Lovecraft was startled seeing the carnage he created.
Slither…….
The tentacles soon went back into his body.
And the suit that had been completely torn beyond recognition returned to normal.
Lovecraft made a tearful face.
"Sor, sorry, I'm sorry!"
Knelt on the floor.
And apologized while handling Mike's flesh pieces.
Then.
Ding.
[The Transcendent Meeting guarantees participants' safety.]
A message appeared guaranteeing 'participants' safety'.
Slither…….
Mike's completely shattered body.
Began rapidly regenerating.
"Ugh, ugh, uaaaah……!"
However, did the pain remain while regenerating?
Mike, who returned to normal, held his body with trembling hands.
Then.
"Sor, sorry!"
Lovecraft quickly apologized to Mike again.
Mike glared at such an opponent.
"You, you! What did you suddenly do!"
"Hiiii!"
Lovecraft cowered at Mike's shout.
Then.
Crack! Crack!
Tentacles appeared from his body again.
No.
Why do this guy's tentacles pop out at everything?
"Ab, Absolute Shield!"
Mike quickly pulled his body back while using protective magic.
Swish……!
As soon as the giant tentacle touched.
Pop!
The barrier immediately burst.
'What, what is that……!'
Absolute Shield.
This was the strongest protective magic Mike could currently use.
But it burst like a soap bubble?
When Mike despaired seeing the tentacles reaching toward him.
"Stop right there."
From beyond the round table.
"Transcendent of R'lyeh."
The meeting host.
Orc Transcendent 'Gershu's' voice was heard.