Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 236
>Chapter Title: The Old King's Conviction
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Chapter 236
>236.
‘I didn’t see this coming…’
The guardian’s true identity turned out to be the crystallization of convictions left behind by the Forgotten King in his old age.
He let out a hollow laugh at the utterly bewildering situation, and the guardian took another step forward.
Its presence was overwhelming.
Do-hyun could feel the gap in power—an insurmountable chasm that he could never hope to bridge in his current state.
[Guardian of the Forgotten Tomb, ‘Old King’s Conviction’]
>[The guardian has revealed its true identity.]
>[The Catastrophe Recreation Rate rises sharply.]
>[The current Catastrophe Recreation Rate is 28%.]
Even a glance at the nameplate hovering above its head showed not just red, but a blackish crimson hue.
No, was it even blackish crimson?
The color was so dark it was practically black, and Do-hyun’s grip tightened instinctively on the hilt of Cheonbyeon.
‘No way they expect me to beat this thing, right? If another strike like the last one comes flying, I don’t think I could handle it…’
No, more than that—wasn’t the goal supposed to be saving the Forgotten King?
Why was the guardian attacking out of nowhere?
Do-hyun frowned at the incomprehensible situation.
-Master…
-Ri… za… ri… za…
Jihad seemed to share the sentiment, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Charlie was trying to play it cool, but the tension in his body was obvious.
That was the caliber of this opponent. The Forgotten King in his later years.
Even with his gaunt, pallid complexion and frail body, he was this strong. It was impossible to imagine how mighty he must have been in his prime.
Swoosh-
[Irregular of unknown name, my trial remains the same as before.]
In that sense, it was a stroke of luck.
The guardian drew its sword but didn’t charge straight at Do-hyun.
Its goal was truly a trial, not a fight.
The tip of its sword, poised in a perfect stance and aimed at Do-hyun, seemed to speak.
[Show yourself to me. And prove it.]
Prove that he was worthy of claiming it.
‘…So, we’re having a conversation with swords, huh.’
For Do-hyun, it felt strangely familiar.
The Forgotten King’s rotting flesh had acted the same way when it offered to bestow swordsmanship upon him.
‘Do all these knights from the old era love proofs so much, or are the Forgotten King and the Lion King just weird… Well, same guy in different bodies, so makes sense.’
Do-hyun’s eyes grew serious as he stared at the sword tip urging him to draw his own blade.
If that was truly its intent, there was no reason to refuse.
A conversation through swords?
It was more familiar—and preferable—to him than talking.
Swoosh.
Do-hyun assumed his stance, gripping Cheonbyeon in its White Lion Snowflower Sword state.
He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them.
The scene before him had changed.
A blizzard whipped around him.
A chilling aura enveloped the area, as if he were gripping his sword atop a snow-capped mountain, and atop it, a white lion descended.
[The effect of the White Lion’s Snowflower Sword activates.]
>[The White Lion’s Song activates.]
>[It recreates the Forgotten King’s most powerful sword strike.]
>[Due to the user’s insufficient level, it cannot fully recreate the sword strike.]
‘So this is that strike… Pathetic compared to the one I saw back then.’
Small and feeble, but the energy contained within was unmistakably the Forgotten King’s sword strike.
[That’s…!?]
The guardian, who knew it better than anyone, widened its eyes.
Staring at the strike with clear astonishment, it nodded as if finally understanding.
[Impressive. So you’ve already earned the recognition of my past self? That explains it.]
Come to think of it, that sword.
He’d dismissed it as impossible for a mere apostle to wield, plus it was a sword he’d used ages ago, but it really was his own.
Now he was even more curious.
[I shall see. Just what kind of swordsmanship my past self bestowed upon you.]
What it was about this one that led his past self to grant that swordsmanship.
[You can come at me with everything you’ve got…]
The guardian smirked, then unleashed an explosive aura like a final ember flaring to life.
As the transcendent light in its eyes gradually faded, the white lion floating above its sword glared ferociously, and the blizzard howled even fiercer.
Do-hyun’s already meager strike now looked like a speck of dust.
‘This is ridiculous.’
But upon seeing the blizzard filling the entire cave, Do-hyun chuckled and stepped forward instead.
[Heaven-Defying Phase]
>[Using First Form: Beginning]
He advanced, blending the footwork of the Heaven-Defying Phase’s First Form, Beginning, into the White Lion’s Song.
To press on without retreating, no matter the adversity.
That was the essence of the Heaven-Defying Phase.
[Overwhelming difference in sword intent.]
>[You have taken a step forward in the face of immense adversity.]
>[The power of Heaven-Defying Phase increases.]
>[You have glimpsed the path to the next realm.]
And in this moment.
That essence was shining brightly.
* * *
The God Ose homepage was currently abuzz with articles about the World Quest.
[World Quest of Historic Scale! High Rankers Mobilize in Droves!]
>[The Arnis Empire on Alert Too? Just What is the Forgotten Tomb!?]
>[The Empire’s Lords, Who Were Watching Warily, Deploy Their Affiliated Users! Red Tower Lord’s prized disciple and Flame of Cataclysm, Siana, Joins—Sparking Rivalry with Repias…]
>[The Top 10 Guilds Move Swiftly, Though a Step Behind! Earnest Guild and Leone Guild’s Participation Confirmed…]
From NPC-affiliated high rankers to the Top 10 Guilds.
Countless people were pouring in, boasting an unprecedented scale.
Even the notoriously aloof Empire was showing unusual interest and vigilance.
No way the reporters would let such hot bait slip by—they hammered their keyboards with gleeful grins.
-Wow, total mobilization. So jealous of the on-site folks. It opens right when my login time hits, argh…
>-Four Top 10 Guilds already joined ㄷㄷ
>-Even more are coming, they say? At this rate, most will gather in a day?
>-Weren’t they all ditching the New Continent? Said they couldn’t leave mid-progress?
>-That’s how valuable this World Quest is. Heard the difficulty is historic too?
>-Yeah, monsters are manageable, but nearly passed out at the boss. First boss is an elite raid boss? Ridiculous.
>-Looked like a total monster.
>-Truth, barely any facial features, just huge ears—straight-up creepy. Size at least 3x an ogre.
The community reaction was equally explosive.
Every chat room was packed, scrolls flying nonstop.
All sorts of chatter flooded in, but a few topics stood out repeatedly.
-What’s with the Empire being on alert? For real?
>-Has the Empire ever cared about user content? They’ve ordered stuff removed if it annoyed them, but alert? Never.
>-Well, they think they’re the best…
One was the Empire’s reaction.
Ruler of the main continent, home to the sole emperor.
The arrogant Empire rarely reacted this strongly to mere user content.
-World Quest, so maybe. NPCs join World Quests sometimes anyway.
>-Fair, but alert? That emperor?
>-Maybe there’s something unexpected…
>-Seemed like mild interest at first, then suddenly full alert?
That wasn’t the only oddity.
-Something’s off—the difficulty is insane. 27% recreation rate already?
>-Fr, at this pace, it’ll hit over 50% before annihilation hits. Clear in two days.
>-World Quests end in days now lol
>-Will it even clear? Difficulty feels off the charts.
>-Babylon and Beyond Heaven competed for the 20% boss, basically duoed it, and it still took over 10 mins. Insane.
>-Normal users basically spectators lol, just standing there gaping from afar.
>-Ah, so that’s why Earnest switched to hunting hidden pieces right away? Wandered all day.
>-They’re explorers at heart, makes sense with so much competition.
>-Underrating Earnest. Hunting/gathering is their specialty, but they’re top-tier.
>-Fair, Harrington especially is the real deal. Weird for them to back off easily, hunting so hard means they found a clue.
No matter how tough World Quests got, this was abnormally so.
Top 10 Guilds and high rankers could manage, but normal users couldn’t even touch the bosses.
The recreation rate was climbing at an absurd pace—opinions leaned toward clearing in two days.
Slash-!
The on-site atmosphere was even more intense.
“Ugh, damn, no end in sight.”
>“Monster levels keep rising? Monster or boss?”
>“Hey, catastrophe rate up another 1%. 28% now.”
>“Shit, legion respawning over there again.”
Kill them, kill them—monsters kept spawning endlessly.
And fitting the name “Catastrophe Recreation,” the landscape grew increasingly devastated.
The flames and eerie vibes were long gone.
The current scene was pure ruin, like a fallen nation.
“Master, looks like the rumors are true.”
>“Sigh, yeah. Doesn’t feel right.”
Ast grew serious at his hardened vice master’s words.
His eyes scanned the area: the catastrophe site, roamed by grotesque monsters.
[Derivatives of the Incredibly Deep Underground]
‘Feels off. Name’s creepy… and type is ?? Why?’
No description either. Only name and grade visible.
Yet they overpowered same-grade monsters.
The boss they’d just felled took dozens of hits, contrary to expectations of a quick kill.
‘28% is still early game. Already this tough? Weird.’
Even World Quests started easy usually.
To let average users enjoy the early parts—that’s what made them meaningful.
Meaning this difficulty was tuned for ‘average’ users.
Late game required top rankers uniting…
‘…If this is average, what’s late-game top-tier? What comes then?’
…Something utterly unmanageable?
That why the Empire was wary?
‘Should we halt the rate rise, pause it a bit?’
Ast shook off the ominous feeling sprouting in his mind.
Overthinking.
Tons of famed high rankers were gathering.
Four Top 10 Guilds already, Repias and Siana sweeping monsters in rivalry.
‘No way this firepower fails.’
Pushing aside the unease, a certain someone popped into Ast’s mind.
‘Speaking of, what’s Kaiser doing? Cracking another hidden piece? Earnest too… Am I the only one hunting straight-laced?’
That’s when it happened.
Rumble rumble rumble-
The ground shook violently.
Ast staggered from his reverie, barely regaining balance as the earth cracked, buildings crumbled, and the sky darkened.
But he didn’t panic.
[The Catastrophe Recreation Rate has reached 30%.]
>[The Forgotten Tomb greatly changes, recreating a massive catastrophe.]
>[A boss appears.]
‘Damn, gonna be late.’
He’d experienced it at 20%.
“Boss location? How far from here?”
>“Coords show… Huh? Master. It’s spawning right here…”
No need to wait for the report.
Before the words finished, something enormous burst from the ground right in front of them.
[Hero-grade Named Boss, ‘Beast of the Incredibly Deep Underground’ appears.]
8 meters tall.
Arms abnormally huge, big enough to crush an ogre one-handed.
Like the previous boss, barely any facial features—just a massive mouth roaring.
Roooooooar-!!
“Battle stations.”
As Ast summoned his divine beast’s maw without missing a beat.
Thud thud, leap!
Swift footsteps from somewhere.
Something leaped from the side, emitting a brilliant glow.
Through squinted eyes half-blinded by the light, a man appeared.
Blond man radiating holy light from sacred armor and sword.
[The Goddess’s Holy Light incinerates evil.]
>[Hero-grade Named Boss, ‘Beast of the Incredibly Deep Underground’s’ left arm burns away.]
It severed and incinerated the massive arm in one go, the beast shrieking in agony.
An innate ability excelling against evil.
The Mythic God’s unique power: Light of the Goddess of Purification.
“Damn it… Already here?”
Only one user in God Ose wielded it.
Clack.
The holy knight atop the shrieking beast’s head spoke calmly.
“30% already… Later than I thought.”
The King’s master.
The undisputed strongest holy knight, Arthur, had arrived.