Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 249
>Chapter Title: Mountains Within Mountains
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Is this what they mean by mountains within mountains?
Do-hyun swallowed dryly at the endlessly expanding scale.
Even the outrageous world quest had been a handful, and now what? The empire's imperial family was tangled up with the Abyss?
'Aigoo, Do-ya...'
His head began to throb naturally.
Even back with Brion, the Holy Knight Order's vice commander Taxinel had been involved, but this was on another level entirely.
Brion was the Holy Empire, which the empire couldn't ignore.
In terms of raw power, the empire was overwhelmingly superior.
'No, "overwhelming" doesn't even cover it.'
Compared to Brion, mockingly called the "Lyon One-Trick," the empire had several warriors stronger than Sir Lyon.
The empire was something no other city could defeat even if they all banded together.
If the heart of such an empire—the imperial family—was deliberately colluding with the Abyss, there was no way to stop it.
'These main quests that latch on always have the most bullshit difficulty.'
Muttering his complaints, Do-hyun soon scratched his head vigorously.
He was tackling a main quest that wasn't even supposed to open for three years, so of course the difficulty was insane.
[The soul of the Forgotten King grows faint.]
[The temple will collapse soon. Please escape the temple immediately.]
- ...Now we truly have no time. It feels like I'm burdening you with a heavy load, but can you grant my request?
"Yes, of course."
- I'm truly grateful. You must have many questions, so I'll explain quickly.
It was wiser to listen to as much as possible from the king's soul before it vanished than to complain now.
- The Moon Order. They are beings who have existed since the distant past. Passed down through generations as objects of terror to the people, some even worshiped them as gods. They were called the Five Suns, or something ridiculous like that.
At this point, he was certain.
'The five from the mural.'
The massive mural in the king's tomb.
The group of five that appeared in the paintings handed down through generations.
They had to be the Moon Order.
'The Five Suns and Moons... Then they must be what Ruidra meant by the true masters of the continent.'
He'd worried it might refer to the ancient Five Kings, but thankfully, it wasn't.
So what was their true nature?
From the king's tomb mural, to Ruidra, and now the world quest.
'They're constantly popping up on the main quest track, so they must play a key role...'
Were they on humanity's side, or the gods'?
Or the Abyss's?
'Or maybe a completely different faction? Nah, probably not. Even if I'm not certain they're with the Abyss since they appeared alongside the Devourer of Existence, the chances of them being tied to those bastards are high.'
Do-hyun shook off his speculation based on the Forgotten King's words.
Jumping to conclusions was dangerous.
Who knew what it'd turn out to be once uncovered.
It'd be best to hear more and judge accurately, but sadly, that wasn't possible.
- I know no more than that. Only that they've lived for an incredibly long time pursuing some goal, and my generation was when they put it into action.
The king's bitter tone was evident as he spoke.
Was it the emptiness of knowing he no longer had the chance or strength to avenge himself against them? Or pity for those who sacrificed? It was impossible to tell.
The king closed his eyes as if recalling the past, then spoke again.
- But isn't it strange?
What he uttered wasn't emptiness or resentment, but doubt.
- They lay dormant for so long, only to stir in my generation—and right on cue, the Abyss moved at the exact same time.
"......"
- History may have erased it, but whenever the Abyss's demonic beasts appeared, they were always there. It could be coincidence, but after three times, they call it fate.
And each time, countless catastrophes struck the empire.
- I don't know what disasters came after my death... but I suspect some connection between them and the Abyss. Do you know of any such catastrophes?
Crunch...
As soon as he finished, the sound of grinding teeth came from beside him.
The history of the Forgotten King and the Devourer of Existence had been erased, burying countless catastrophes—but one remained unburied.
A catastrophe every user who enjoyed God of Oslo knew.
The event that came to mind first for any existing NPC when hearing "Abyss."
- To think the imperial family, the heart of the empire, would do such a thing after enduring that past...!
- Charlie...
- Li, Liza...
The Arlen Catastrophe.
Charlie ground his teeth, his fists trembling violently, yet struggling to hold back.
Watching him, Do-hyun had mixed feelings.
'Sshould I tell him the truth?'
The tutorial had vividly recreated the past Arlen Catastrophe.
Charlie remembered it as a victory because he'd met Do-hyun, but that was just memory.
History hadn't changed.
There'd been no need to mention it, and he'd thought ignorance was bliss...
- ...I'm fine. Didn't we avert the catastrophe together with you, my lord, and restore light to the great Arlen Castle?
- Uh... th-that... chi?
- It's shocking that the imperial family, symbol of the empire, might be colluding with the Abyss... but now that we know, it's for the best.
Hearing that made Do-hyun feel unnecessarily uneasy.
But explaining it—where to start, how to make him understand—felt impossible.
After a moment's hesitation, Do-hyun looked away. Sometimes, ignorance really was bliss.
Rumble—
That was when the temple suddenly shook.
[The Forgotten King's temple will collapse soon.]
[5...]
[4...]
The temple's collapse had truly begun.
- ...Seems that's all the time we have.
With the conversation naturally cutting off, the Forgotten King cautiously made his final request.
- Hero who awakened me. It's impudent, but you're the only one I can ask.
"......"
- Please, this time, completely seal that disaster—and uncover if any in the imperial family are colluding with them?
[Sudden Quest: 'The Forgotten King's Request' has been generated.]
[The Forgotten King's Request]
- Rank: Sudden Quest
- Description: The king's soul hopes you will complete the task he could not.
His wish is the empire's peace.
After sealing the great disaster, investigate if any in the imperial family are colluding with the Abyss or the Moon Order.
- Sealing the disaster will clear the world quest.
- Quest Success: Linked quest generated, main quest clue acquired
- Quest Failure: Linked quest deleted, main quest clue deleted
Do-hyun nodded as he viewed the quest window floating over the crumbling temple.
'First things first, deal with that disaster.'
Imperial family, Moon Order, Abyss.
He could think about them later.
Right now, it was time to focus on successfully completing the world quest at hand.
As if responding to his resolve, a message appeared.
[Reward assessment complete.]
[Rewards enhanced: Choose two of three rewards.]
[Flowing Water Secret Fire Sword], [Black Veil Mask], [Arrows of Evil Destruction]
'This is...'
Do-hyun's eyes widened with interest, then he grinned and reached out.
[Reward selection complete.]
[The king's temple collapses.]
[Will you exit the temple?]
The fully collapsed ceiling came crashing down, blocking the space between the king and Do-hyun.
In that instant, their eyes met through the gap.
- Then... I'll place my faith in you. Hero of this era.
Do-hyun nodded briefly, and with the faint voice fading, his vision flipped.
* * *
- Is it really impossible?
- Fuck if I know, we're screwed anyway. Top 10 Guilds are pulling out—who's gonna take it down?
- Thanks for the hard work, everyone. See you at Ernest's execution next time.
- LMAOOOO real-time Harrington hand-shaking audible from here
- Gonna log off for a while. What if the catastrophe opens and I get killed just passing by?
- Nah, that's what makes it fun.
- Huh, is it?
- Yeah it is lol
The situation in the Forgotten Tomb remained dire.
With the Top 10 Guilds and high rankers abandoning the raid, all hope was lost.
World quest failure was all but certain at this rate.
Yet no one dared step up.
They'd all seen it on broadcast. How absurd it was to take down that disaster.
So they were just spouting nonsense when—
Ding—
[The Forgotten King's temple has collapsed.]
[Player Kaiser has cleared the Forgotten King's temple.]
[World quest raid rankings have changed.]
Sudden alerts rang out, messages popping up above every user.
- ??
- ?
- Huh?
- ??????
The chat filled with question marks.
After the flood came dead silence.
- ...Cleared?
- Insane, am I seeing this wrong?
- He took down the king? Kaiser did?
- This real? Tell me it's real, guys?
A few seconds passed before sparse chats trickled in, all dazed.
No wonder—it was too ridiculous.
Users in the Forgotten Tomb reacted much the same.
But only for a moment.
"Ka-Kaiser took down the Forgotten King!!!"
"Waaaaaaaaah!!!"
"We did it! We did it!!"
"Who said Kaiser could never do it!? Top 10 Guilds? Fuck off!"
"Kaiser, he's a god! Kaiser, he's a god! Kaiser, he's a god!!"
"Kaiser punch! Kaiser punch! Kaiser punch!"
Once they grasped the situation, roars erupted from the users.
The cheers from millions shook the tomb to its core.
Ears rang, nearly numb.
"...He took it down?"
"Kaiser...? How the hell?"
"Does that mean Arthur was wrong?"
The most shocked were the Top 10 Guild masters.
Countless high rankers like Lepias had been obliterated, and even Arthur failed in phase 2.
A trap card hailed as a difficulty that wouldn't appear for years.
'How the hell did Kaiser take down something like that!'
'He hasn't even hit max level, let alone transcended.'
'Did Arthur weaken it a lot? If it was a one-time pattern... maybe we panicked and missed our chance.'
'Unbelievable...'
They'd given up on it, and now it was cleared—total humiliation.
Heads already ached thinking of damage control.
Faces conflicted: should they rejoice at the saved world quest or mourn?
But one user smirked.
'That bastard, knew he'd pull it off.'
Ast, lounging in a safe spot with his chin propped on his hand.
He hadn't even joined the raid, so no shame for him.
- Ast lmao
- Ast was the real winner.
- "Why bother when Kaiser's gonna carry~"
- Ast knew all along!
- And Ast was the only Top 10 Guild who tried challenging the king. Believes when he believes, acts when he must. That's a real man.
Chat reactions were positive too.
Unlike other guilds locking it down as impossible, Ast's solo faith in Kaiser and calm demeanor won favor.
All around, it boosted his image.
'But when's this guy coming out?'
Ast stared at the crumbling door, curious about much and told to wait, when—
"...Hey, why hasn't the clear message popped?"
"Weird. It usually doesn't take this long..."
"No way..."
Murmurs grew across the area.
Minutes had passed, yet no world quest clear announcement.
And not just that.
Rooooaaar—!!
The massive disaster still floated steadfastly.
"...Why's that fucker still alive?"
"This isn't a clear!"
"Killing the Forgotten King wasn't the clear condition?"
"Then what's with the temple!?"
"Top 10 Guilds were right? The king was the trap!"
The world quest wasn't over.
In fact, it was just beginning.
Users realized it, spewing curses and scrambling.
They'd exposed themselves thinking it cleared, but now had to hide behind terrain to avoid the disaster's eyes.
------!!
Their panicked scattering must have provoked it.
The massive disaster bellowed deafeningly and rampaged.
At this rate, a forced phase 2 would trigger.
"Eek!"
"Shit, don't trip!"
"B-behind! Damn it, just run!"
"S-save me!"
Even abandoning comrades in the chaos.
A fallen user squeezed his eyes shut, watching allies flee.
Earthquake-like tremors and engulfing shadows signaled the disaster right behind.
Boom!!
The heavy explosion made him think he was dead.
But seconds passed with no death alert. He slowly opened his eyes.
And saw.
Growl...
A fierce blizzard swirling around, a white lion perched atop it.
A beautiful, dreamlike scene.
At its center stood a man.
Wearing a darker, more sinister mask, holding a pure white sword engraved with a white lion and blizzard motifs.
"What a mess here too."
- Indeed, Master.
- Liza-liza.
- ...The stench assaults my nose, my lord. So many sacrificed...
Hearing the guardians' voices and low tones behind him, the user shouted instinctively.
"Ka-Kaiser!"
"It's Kaiser! Kaiser's here!"
"Kaiser? Where!?"
Shouts exploded from all directions simultaneously. Fleeing users halted and turned.
Drawing all eyes just by appearing, the man standing alone before the massive disaster—Do-hyun gripped Cheonbyeon again.
[Target confirmed as Abyss demonic beast.]
[Hexagon of Perfection reacts to target's vital point.]
Spotting the small glowing vital in the huge body, Do-hyun smirked.
'The mouth's the vital... No wonder the self-destruct by diving in wasn't for nothing.'
Clicking his tongue, Do-hyun glanced sideways.
Somewhat recovered: HP at 20%, mana nearly 30%.
The enemy, meanwhile, was still full health.
[HP: 40,051,234 / 60,000,000]
'...What? 60 million HP? Is this a monster?'
No, beyond full—insane.
The number was so shocking it drew a hollow laugh.
This was a boss designed not to be killed.
Now he understood why the guardian said it could never be slain, only sealed.
Rooooaaar!
Then.
Having assessed Do-hyun, the massive disaster poised to charge again.
And in that moment.
[Using Trait Upgrade.]
[Weapon enhancement +1 increased.]
Boom!!
Someone leaped from the cliff, smashing down with a massive blunt weapon.
A heavy boom and shockwave erupted. Solid damage—the disaster halted, roaring.
Frowning briefly, a hulking man stepped beside Do-hyun.
"Gonna take it down?"
"Old man."
Ast.
As promised before entering, he'd conserved strength—condition looked great.
Near full.
Even Ast chuckled wryly facing the disaster up close.
"Hah... Look at the size. Can't even take it all in. Wondered why not to waste energy—everything with you is never easy."
"So you're scared, old man?"
"...Maybe I should've popped a Calming Pill."
Do-hyun chuckled at the grumbling exaggeration. Ast casually asked,
"So, got a plan?"
"Sealing stone. Shove it in the vital, done."
"Easy to say. Where's the vital?"
"In its mouth."
"...What?"
Ast's face went blank, staring to confirm he heard right.
"...That's it. No pressure—if you can't, bail. Honestly, just us two is tough."
"Just us two..."
Ast pondered, gazing skyward. His eyes lit up.
As if spotting something, his lips curved.
-----!!
[The massive disaster opens its eyes.]
Simultaneously, the recovered disaster bellowed, hundreds of eyes snapping open.
Each pupil the size of a human head.
Hundreds of head-sized eyes glared with thick killing intent.
Chill-inducing, goosebump-worthy sight.
Yet Ast calmly continued.
"Who said just two?"
"...What?"
Before Do-hyun could turn, it happened.
[The disaster's eyes devour those touched by light.]
[Caution! Avoid the light.]
Hundreds of eyes began emitting light.
Do-hyun gripped Cheonbyeon to counter when a woman's sword flew from somewhere, drawing a perfect straight line.
A flawless single strand slash.
A mere horizontal cut elevated to art.
Slash—!
Blood sprayed; the disaster's eyes shut.
Between the disaster and Do-hyun appeared a woman in iaido stance, her black silk hair flowing.
Clad in sword robes, her pale skin striking—the unfamiliar woman, yet...
'...This.'
Somehow familiar.
----!
Then somethi lashed down fiercely from above.
Air-tearing assaulted the ears. Looking up, a red-aura woman appeared.
Slash—slash!
Red energy flashed, unleashing countless strikes.
The ferocious barrage tore space itself; the disaster's body shuddered, wounds everywhere.
Landing beside the white-haired sword-robed woman, she whipped her head around.
Locking eyes with her sharp red gaze.
She grinned ferociously.
"This bastard's off doing fun shit alone again. You're consistent, huh."
"...What?"
Before comprehending, the sword saint sheathed her blade with a faint smile, greeting.
"Long time no see, Kaiser."
"......?"
Dumbfounded, Do-hyun instinctively looked at Ast.
He was grinning like it was hilarious.
'No way...'
The thought burst out unfiltered.
"...Kkukku? Sword Emperor?"
"Oh, you recognized us?"
"Hoh, your shit-sense works wonders."
For the first time in two years, the Kaiser party reunited.