Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Yin-Yang Divine Art
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Yin-Yang Divine Art.
This was an item that could be found in the Murim world setting, which players would encounter much later.
However, this was information that the current players didn't know about yet.
And that made sense, since reaching that world setting required progressing through trials far beyond this point.
The only one who knew about it was Hae-jin, the player who had inherited the knowledge from the previous regression cycle.
Naturally, Hae-jin also possessed information about the items obtainable in the Murim Trials' Arena, not just from his own knowledge, but also from Joo-hyuk's.
In any case, that was how one piece of information Hae-jin knew came into play: the 'Yin-Yang Divine Art.'
'The divine art that alters one's Yin or Yang constitution and doubles the power of abilities aligned with that nature.'
It alters one's Yin or Yang constitution.
The concept was a bit tricky, but for example, fire and water, light and darkness worked.
Fire is hot, water is cold.
Light is warm, darkness is chilling.
In this way, hot and warm energies could be classified as Yang energy, while cold and chilling energies were Yin energy.
And those who possessed the Yin-Yang Divine Art would see their abilities related to water and darkness doubled in effect when in a Yin constitution, and conversely, their fire and light abilities doubled when in a Yang constitution.
But this constitution thing...
'Switching to a Yin constitution turns the body female, and Yang turns it male.'
That explained everything.
Both the fact that the Mermaid royalty guiding the Supreme Law Master—Park Bo-young—was male, and the reason the Supreme Law Master had a female voice despite that.
'She probably hunted the Merman in her previous trial while still in a Yang constitution, then switched to a female body here to adopt a Yin constitution.'
As Hae-jin pieced it all together in silence, Supreme Law Master Park Bo-young spoke up.
"Um, hello?"
Hae-jin turned to Park Bo-young, who had asked in a male voice.
"First, when the hidden trial reward appears, choose the water supply scroll for that side. The desert clothing support is a meaningless option, so definitely go for the double experience scroll."
"Pardon?"
Park Bo-young feigned surprise at the sudden tip about her hidden trial reward.
Hae-jin added one more thing.
"Oh, and my chat ID is 'HJ0317'. Contact me after this trial ends."
"What does that..."
Park Bo-young was baffled as Hae-jin casually gave her his chat ID before leaving.
But regardless, Hae-jin went off to hunt more Mermen.
He planned to rack up points to maintain his first-place spot in this zone too.
After a long while, the Mermen were completely wiped out.
Then the Mermaid King shouted.
"We have won! We have avenged our family!"
"Whoooooo!"
The Mermaids cheered at the Mermaid King's cry, basking in the victory of the war.
Unlike them, the players couldn't simply rejoice.
Of course not.
They still didn't know the survival criteria.
They had some rough guesses, though.
"Is it points from kills again?"
"Ha, I don't think I got that many."
"Damn it, me too!"
"I'm probably safe, at least."
"Hey, you too? Hey, me too!"
"Everyone's in the same boat."
"Ha, please let us survive."
"Please..."
...
Since no one knew how survival worked in this trial, they naturally assumed it was based on kill performance, drawing from past experience.
Hae-jin smirked as he watched the players.
'Everyone survives this time.'
In truth, even Hae-jin had been puzzled at first, back when he cleared the tenth trial with Joo-hyuk, wondering why there was full survival.
He had thought they were past the stages that allowed everyone to live.
But there was a reason for it.
'Without variables like this, it's a war where more than half usually die.'
In this zone, Hae-jin's overwhelming strength had taken out the Merman King from the start, making it a stable war.
But in ordinary zones, a single Merman King could wipe out dozens to hundreds in an instant, and that happened frequently.
These people had no way of knowing that, so they could only assume the trial's difficulty was lower than expected.
[You have completed the Tenth Trial.]
[Your level has increased.]
The system window announced the end of the Tenth Trial.
The electronic billboard revealed the results of the Tenth Trial to the players.
[Settling Tenth Trial results.]
[Announcing Tenth Trial results.]
[Tenth Trial Zone Ranking TOP 3]
1st: Park Hae-jin - 141,400 points.
2nd: Speller - 122,300 points
3rd: Supreme Law Master - 60,700 points
Hae-jin was quite surprised seeing the top three points in the Tenth Trial.
'This gets third place?'
It was astonishing that the Supreme Law Master had taken third.
And it had to be that way.
Originally, Park Bo-young couldn't have placed third here.
Why?
Back when Joo-hyuk was around, first was Joo-hyuk, and second and third were Hae-jin and Lee Sang.
Without Joo-hyuk, Hae-jin and Lee Sang forcibly took first and second, allowing Park Bo-young to snag third.
Seeing that, Hae-jin thought.
'I really need to seriously consider recruiting her.'
He had at least thrown out the bait.
He had given Park Bo-young his chat ID.
Anyway, after announcing the top three in the current zone, the billboard revealed the survival conditions.
[Number of survivors in this trial: '10,000'.]
"Huh? Ten thousand?"
"What? Does that mean full survival?"
"Seems like it."
"Why?"
"No idea?"
"What is it?"
"Who knows?"
Everyone seemed dazed, wondering how everyone survived this trial.
That was understandable.
The Trials' Arena had been mercilessly culling the dead for a while now.
Unless they returned to reality and checked international news, they wouldn't know.
That without Hae-jin, more than half of them would have died.
Anyway, after announcing the survivor count, the billboard revealed the hidden trial results too.
[Tenth Trial Hidden Trial completed.]
[Tenth Trial Hidden Trial.]
-Goal: Be in the top 10 who hunted 3 or more 'Merman Royalty'.
-Achievers: Park Hae-jin, Speller, Supreme Law Master, Raffaello, Anna, Me, Joker, Manager Kim, Paul John, Gilliedu.
Looking at the hidden trial achievers, Hae-jin commented.
"Joker's in there again. Makes sense—probably the only one in his zone who could hunt three or more Merman royalty. Still, a few more made it this time."
A few new names had appeared.
Names that hadn't shown up in hidden trials before: 'Paul John' and 'Gilliedu.'
'Indian player and British player, huh.'
As Hae-jin recalled, Paul John was an Indian player, and Gilliedu was British.
By the tenth trial, players with good instincts or solid skills were starting to clear hidden trials without Hae-jin's help.
Anyway, upon achieving the hidden trial, the reward selection appeared.
[Hidden Trial reward granted.]
[Choose one of the following three rewards:]
1. Water Supply Scroll.
2. Desert Clothing Support Scroll.
3. Double Experience Scroll.
Hae-jin chose without hesitation.
[Selected 'Double Experience Scroll' as Hidden Trial reward.]
With the hidden trial results announced, the Tenth Trial still wasn't over.
Hae-jin knew exactly why they weren't sent back to reality yet.
'They have to move us to the desert zone.'
The desert zone.
That was the setting for the next, eleventh trial.
That's why the hidden trial rewards included things like water supply scrolls and desert clothing support scrolls.
They were essentials for adapting to that environment.
But Hae-jin's party didn't need water or desert gear.
Magic could handle everything.
Of course, unlike Hae-jin's group, those who couldn't manage water or clothing should pick one.
In the eleventh trial, it wasn't monsters that killed you—it was the desert environment.
Many players died from lack of water or inability to adapt.
Sure, as awakened players, they weren't as fragile as civilians to thirst or environment.
But that just meant a more agonizing death from a player's perspective.
'They have to endure that desert until a certain number die off.'
As Hae-jin thought that, the Mermaid King stepped forward.
"Brave heroes, we offer our deepest gratitude for your aid in our victory! Henceforth, you shall be friends of the Mermaids! Should you need our help, seek out the Mermaids who guided you! As you have helped us, we shall now assist you in returning to the land!"
Following the Mermaid King's thanks and instructions, the Mermaids assigned to each player directed them to carriages.
They were finally sending them from the sea back to land.
And for Hae-jin...
"Lord Ruler, I shall escort you personally."
The Mermaid King bowed respectfully to Hae-jin, ruler of the seas.
Hae-jin smirked.
"Fine."
With that, Hae-jin boarded the carriage led by the Mermaid King and set off.
As all the surviving players crossed the sea toward land under Mermaid guidance...
Every player's view shifted.
From underwater to reality.
Seeing it, Hae-jin said.
"We're back."
"Yeah."
Kwon Na-ye approached and replied to Hae-jin.
Then Anna came over too.
"How was it for everyone? The zones merged this time, drawing in more people—it seemed like they combined by country."
"Correct. Our side all ended up in the same zone."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Too bad. I wanted to be in Hae-jin-ssi’s zone too."
Anna showed genuine disappointment.
It was inevitable.
If the Korean players' zones had merged together, Kwon Na-ye would be with Hae-jin right now.
To the disappointed Anna, Hae-jin said.
"We'll probably merge later."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Looking forward to it."
"Anyway, everyone grabbed the double experience scroll, right?"
"Of course."
"Yes."
"Good. For the next trial, as long as we survive, Na-ye-ssi and Manager Kim must prioritize joining me or Lee Sang-ssi."
Hae-jin instructed that when the next trial started, Kwon Na-ye and Manager Kim should join him or Lee Sang first and foremost.
Lee Sang raised his hand.
Hae-jin nodded toward him.
"Speak, Lee Sang-ssi."
"Why do Na-ye noona and Manager Kim need to join right away? Because it's a desert?"
It was impossible not to know the next trial was a desert.
For anyone who cleared the hidden trial.
There had been a desert clothing support option, after all.
Hae-jin nodded.
"Exactly."
But then Lee Sang raised another question.
"But if we prepare in advance, wouldn't Na-ye noona and Manager Kim be fine without joining immediately?"