Chapter 202
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Baal's Cradle
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Before setting out, Jeong Hoon pulled out the two boxes he had received as rewards.
- Unique Legendary Grade Rune Box (Random)
- Unique Legendary Grade Item Box (Random)
Rewards for defeating Rakandra.
'They said Unique to Legendary, but it's basically just a Unique box anyway.'
That was how random items usually worked.
The odds of getting a lower grade were over 95, while anything higher had less than 5 chance.
Even if you opened a bunch at once, you'd be lucky to get just one good one if fortune was on your side.
With only one box, it was better to expect a Unique rather than hope for Legendary.
Of course, Jeong Hoon had no intention of opening it like that.
Absolute Luck Potion
-Type: Consumable
-Grade: Unique
-Greatly increases the odds for a single draw.
The Absolute Luck Potion he had used in the past.
It was an expensive potion worth 30,000 achievement points each.
Jeong Hoon quickly downed the potion.
Would you like to open the Unique Legendary Grade Rune Box (Random)?
'Open it.'
You have acquired the Rune of Counter (Legendary).
The corner of Jeong Hoon's mouth curved up.
He never imagined he'd pull a Legendary right from the start.
And it wasn't just any itemit was a rune.
No matter what you did, you couldn't get anything beyond Unique runes through normal means.
That was because pulling a Legendary rune was harder than plucking stars from the sky.
Even with the Absolute Luck Potion, they almost never dropped, so he hadn't held out much hopeyet here it was.
'The Rune of Counter...'
Rune of Counter
-Type: Rune
-Grade: Legendary
-Attack Power 5
-Additional Damage 5
-Counter
As expected of a Legendary-grade item, its stats were incomparable to any Unique rune.
And then there was Counter.
Counter
-The power to return all attacks.
-When activated, absorbs all incoming attacks for 5 seconds, then reflects 45 of the damage.
At first glance, it seemed like a reflection ability.
"Not bad."
The fact that it only returned 45 damage was because it wasn't reinforced yet.
He wanted to reinforce it right away, but to upgrade a Legendary rune required a 'Legendary Rune Reinforcement Scroll.'
Those scrolls weren't available in the achievement shop and only dropped from random boxes at minuscule rates, making reinforcement a pain.
Would you like to open the Unique Legendary Grade Item Box (Random)?
Jeong Hoon downed another Absolute Luck Potion and opened the box.
You have acquired the top reward!
Instead of an item, a message appeared before his eyes.
"Huh?"
Jeong Hoon's eyes went wide.
Sometimes, when the top reward dropped from a box, this message appeared before the item itself.
You had to tap the confirm icon below it to reveal the item.
With trembling hands, Jeong Hoon tapped the confirm icon.
You have acquired the Full Reinforcement Scroll (Legendary).
Full Reinforcement Scroll.
Using this scroll instantly maxed out any Legendary-grade equipment or rune to full strength, no exceptions.
"Crazy..."
Even Jeong Hoon had never seen one before.
'Legendary reinforcement.'
He had plenty of Legendary gear, but none were fully reinforced.
They were just that hard to max outand he never expected to get one here.
Oh! Does that mean I'll get even stronger?!
'Like hell! Use it on me!'
Mukho and Anima started clamoring for the scroll, trying to appeal to him.
"Sorry, but I'm not using it on you two."
Their enthusiasm deflated like a bucket of cold water.
What...? Why not me?
'The master's archery is impressive, but good gear is what makes it shine.'
Jeong Hoon chuckled.
"I get that, but you two can just use Legendary reinforcement stones."
His reinforcement skill wasn't high enough level to use them yet, but he fully intended to max out Mukho and Anima eventually.
The same went for his other gear.
Runes were different, though.
There was no way around scrolls for runesand good luck collecting enough Legendary ones.
Jeong Hoon had already decided where to use this scroll the moment it dropped.
No way... on that rune you just got...?
'Ah...'
Even as they sulked openly, it changed nothing.
Would you like to use the Full Reinforcement Scroll (Legendary) on the Rune of Counter (Legendary)?
This choice cannot be undone. Please choose carefully.
Legendary Full Reinforcement Scroll.
Jeong Hoon used it without hesitation.
Flash
The scroll glowed brightly and merged into the rune.
Achievement unlocked! You have completed 'First Legendary Rune Reinforcement Success.' 50,000 achievement points awarded.
Achievement unlocked! You have completed 'First Legendary Rune Full Reinforcement Achievement.' 100,000 achievement points awarded.
Perfect.
Rune of Counter (20)
-Type: Rune
-Grade: Legendary
-Attack Power 25
-Additional Damage 25
-Counter (20)
The counter damage jumped from 45 all the way to 110.
'Time to go.'
More than satisfied with the result, Jeong Hoon's steps felt lighter.
Abnormal Dungeon.
Finding the portal to an Abnormal Dungeon wasn't easy.
Unlike regular dungeons, they didn't have visible portals.
To enter one, you had to precisely locate where the hidden portal was lurking.
"Clearing the Abnormal Dungeon avoids the penalty, right?"
"Probably... The problem is figuring out where the hell it is."
Even if you wanted to challenge it, not knowing the location was frustrating.
'Here it is.'
At that moment, Jeong Hoon stood in front of a commercial building.
The first floor was vacant, and he had forced open the locked door to enter.
An empty, cavernous space.
But right here was where the Abnormal Dungeon hid.
'If I release mana, the portal should react, right?'
Finding the portal was simple.
Just release your internal mana outward near the spot.
Jeong Hoon extended his hand and let mana flow out, and a small portal appeared on the barren floor.
It slowly expanded until it was large enough to enter.
'Good.'
Jeong Hoon stepped through the generated portal.
Would you like to enter Lv.??? Baal's Cradle?
Difficulty: Hard
Down from Hell mode to Hard.
That should be plenty clearable.
'Enter.'
His vision went dark for a moment, then lit up.
Baal's Cradle
Baal's Cradle.
Nearly a hundred people were already inside.
Users from not just Korea, but all over the world.
Familiar faces were among them.
'Sa Jae-hyeok... there you are.'
Sword King Sa Jae-hyeok.
And right beside him was Lee Hwarang.
Finding the dungeon portal so quickly meant he must have contracted with a Transcendent, as expected.
Clench
His fist clenched unconsciously.
You've arrived.
Just then, Baal's voice rang out.
It redirected the anger he had been directing at Sa Jae-hyeok back toward Baal.
"...Yeah."
Heh, shall we get started then?
Baal's voice carried a hint of excitement.
The wager he had been waiting for was about to begin.
"Hey."
At that moment, Lee Hwarang approached Jeong Hoon.
He kept a poker face, but to Jeong Hoon's eyes, it looked like he was barely holding back the urge to tear him apart.
"Less than a year, and you already broke your promise?"
Jeong Hoon grinned.
Lee Hwarang's face twisted in fury at the smile.
"Shut up! You know why I got pushed out of the rankings? Because of you!"
"Don't you know what they mean by reaping what you sow?"
If he hadn't picked the fight in the first place, Jeong Hoon wouldn't have touched him.
He needed to focus on growth and clearing the game.
He believed truly finishing the game was the ultimate revenge.
But he showed no mercy to those who crossed the line.
That wouldn't change even now that New World had become reality.
"Cut the bullshit. If you'd just handed over the Red Dragon Bone Bow you stole, none of this would've happened!"
"What's wrong with saying I don't have it?"
"You bastard!"
Lee Hwarang reached for his inventory to draw his bow.
Jeong Hoon's aura shifted.
"Draw that, and you die."
"......!"
Lee Hwarang shuddered.
'What the...?'
He hurriedly checked Jeong Hoon's info.
"Crazy! Level 315?!"
Last he'd checked, it was 203.
In less than a year, Jeong Hoon had gained a whopping 112 levels, hitting 315.
Just 32 below his own 347.
Diving in now would mean certain death.
"Wanna test it? Or you gonna back off quietly?"
Jeong Hoon jerked his chin.
"Damn it... I'll kill you someday."
Lee Hwarang ground his teeth and retreated.
'Demon Baal' reveals itself.
At that moment, a rift tore open in the air, and red eyes appeared.
The massive red eyes overwhelmed everyone in the dungeon instantly.
The incarnations collapsed to their knees, legs giving out, stammering incoherently.
'Of course. A lord has shown itself.'
And those weren't even Baal's true body.
If the real body appeared, just facing it would cause fainting, and in severe cases, heart attacks leading to death.
Tch, no fun.
Baal clicked his tongue once.
Then a hologram window popped up in front of Jeong Hoon.
1. Demon's Temptation
-Hunt 100 demons generated outside the cradle.
-Time Limit: 120 minutes
-Failure results in death.
The first task was demon hunting.
Four portals shimmered around the cradle's edges, leading to 100 demons that needed to be killed within 120 minutes.
'No busing possible here.'
If the condition was killing all demons, someone could wipe them out and carry everyone.
But Baal didn't set it up that way.
He assigned the task to each individual, goading them into failure.
Demon's Deal activates.
The task difficulty increases.
Of course, Jeong Hoon's wasn't ending at 100.
1. Demon's Temptation
-Hunt 200 demons generated outside the cradle.
-Time Limit: 120 minutes
-Failure results in death.
'Could be worse.'
Hard mode, two steps down from Hell.
In Hell mode, it would've been 500.
200 in two hours was doable.
Well then, go ahead and entertain me.
The red eyes curved like a crescent moon.
"You'll regret this."
Jeong Hoon unfurled his Celestial Bow and exited through the eastern portal.
Barren Land
Outside the cradle was barren land.
A massive red moon hung in the sky, and the air was thick and murky.
Black smoke rising from cracked earth obscured vision, but spotting the demons was easy.
Countless red eyes glowed through the smoke.
Lv.320 High Demon
Lv.320 High Demons.
In Hell mode, it'd be Top-Tier Demons and Named ones lurking.
Hard mode downgraded them to High Demons.
'Let's get started.'
Jeong Hoon spread his Celestial Bow and began massacring the High Demons.
Myeongwang's energy gathered around his fists.