Chapter 254
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: The Fall of Urs
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It's over.
By slaying the Colossal God Soldier Urs, he had successfully erased the forced penalty.
"If my mana and holy power hadn't reacted, I would've been in deep trouble."
Before Urs prepared for its massive explosion, it entered a charging state and absorbed energy.
In that process, it couldn't move, so it wrapped itself in a barrier for protection.
It had no choicethe system was set up so that if any other energy interfered during the core energy charging, it would trigger a backlash explosion.
It was a bit of a contrived setup, but that was necessary to include a method in the design process.
"That's the rule," he thought.
The Transcendents above weren't just aiming to destroy the dimensionthey were using humans as pawns to alleviate their boredom.
They enjoyed watching humans struggle desperately.
Thanks to that, Jeong Hoon had easily knocked Urs into a groggy state, then exploited its plummeting defense from the explosion to destroy the core and finish it off.
Users who didn't know the details showered Jeong Hoon with praise.
"......Just what the hell are you?"
James Marcus approached Jeong Hoon with a puzzled expression and asked.
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
"What's the intent behind that question?"
"......I'll be straight with you. I'm higher level than you. And I'm the first in the warrior class line to achieve fifth job change."
That was right.
James Marcus was a superstar.
How many people in the world didn't know him?
Most of the surviving users in this massive cavern admired James Marcus.
His recruitment skills had shone thanks in large part to his fame.
Even James Marcus had tasted despair when facing the Colossal God Soldier Urs right in front of him.
No matter what he did, it was an unbeatable existence.
Just standing before it had overwhelmed him with its presence, stripping away his will to fight.
If Jeong Hoon hadn't been there, he wouldn't have even dreamed of moving.
Jeong Hoon had even approached it alone while it crouched, charging energy, and ended the situation.
"Hes beyond human limits."
How could a level 400-range user take down the Colossal God Soldier Urs solo?
Was this really a human?
"So you're jealous because I did what you couldn't?"
"That's not!"
"Anyway, we're done here. Get lost."
"......Why do you hate me so much?"
James Marcus made a complicated face as he tried to read Jeong Hoon's thoughts.
But he couldn't glean a thing from that expressionless visage.
"Do I really need to spell it out?"
"If it's because of Alessandro, I'll apologize sincerely. I really had no idea he was thinking like that."
James bowed his head.
'What a pain.'
Jeong Hoon didn't hide his annoyance.
The man reminded him of the pre-regression James who had betrayed himhe wanted to snap that neck right then.
But he'd sworn not to cross that line.
Suppressing his anger, he probed the man's intentions.
"So you want me to join your party again this time?"
James Marcus shook his head.
"No. I know you'd refuse anyway. I just...... wanted to apologize for last time and thank you for taking down Urs."
If not for Jeong Hoon, he'd be dead.
He felt compelled to express his gratitude here.
Pushing closer to someone who clearly didn't want to see him would be rude.
"Yeah."
Jeong Hoon nodded and turned away.
It made him look petty, but drawing the line here was right.
Then time froze as a rift opened.
......To think you knew that method.
Baal's pupil trembled in genuine surprise.
The Colossal God Soldier Urs.
NPC Langlang had cranked up the difficulty, making the dungeon practically impossible.
Yet Jeong Hoon had dispatched it in an instant with the one viable method. How could he not be shocked?
"Lucky break."
Luck......! Heh, you're always such an entertaining guy. I love guys with lots of secrets.
Baal's pupil curved like a crescent moon.
He looked pleased despite losing the bet.
"You sure love giving stuff away."
Jeong Hoon grinned.
Baal's pupil narrowed.
What a shame. I wanted to contract with you and keep watching.
"Sorry, but I have no intention of contracting with anyone."
Jeong Hoon pointed at the hologram window.
Countless Transcendents were sending love calls.
But as soon as Baal appeared, they shut up like ghosts.
A Lord-class Transcendent had shown up, so they wisely backed off.
Too bad. Contracting with me would grant you power far beyond what you have now.
"Don't need it."
Really?
"Anyway, hand over what you promised."
As agreed.
You have acquired 5 of Ultimate Energy.
5 more Ultimate Energy.
That pushed it over halfway, reaching 54.8.
'Good. Just need another half.'
He would reach the ultimate realm no one else had attained.
Baal's reward didn't end there.
"The soul?"
What Jeong Hoon had demanded was the strongest human soul in Baal's possession, alongside the Ultimate Energy.
......Sigh, it was so hard to get.
Baal handed over the promised soul to Jeong Hoon, though reluctantly.
A human-shaped soul materialized before Jeong Hoon.
Black helmet, black armor.
A rugged warrior with a blood-red cape and a massive greatsword on his back.
Jeong Hoon felt an oddly familiar presence from the soul.
"Hm?"
Jeong Hoon tilted his head.
What's wrong? Not strong enough?
"No, it's not that."
Anyway, I've kept my promise.
"Yeah. Now get lost."
......Ending it like this feels too unsatisfying.
Even after the bet ended, Baal didn't vanish.
This was a madman who approached Jeong Hoon via Alessandro.
He wasn't the type to just leave.
Jeong Hoon pondered briefly, then snapped his fingers.
"Want to bet again?"
Oh? What's the bet?
"Leas. Hunt the Ultimate Knight in Leas."
The Ultimate Knight......?
The Ultimate Knight.
In New World, to go from the free city of Leas to the next town, Darvis, you had to meet a condition.
Hunt the Death Knight known as the Ultimate Knight.
It guarded the gate to Darvis.
'And after materialization, its level jumped to 1,100.'
Its mission was still to block passage to Darvis.
Jeong Hoon planned to head to Darvis from Leas.
Darvis was part of the Episode Collection.
He couldn't keep maintaining the status quo by just blocking penalties forever.
Darvis hid various opportunities, including an undiscovered hidden theme.
He needed to claim them all, surpass level 500, and hit 600.
'Winning the bet by slaying the Ultimate Knight would be a huge gain.'
But Baal frowned, clearly unenthused.
You took down the Colossal God Soldier Urs, and now you're betting on just the Ultimate Knight?
That was true.
The Colossal God Soldier Urs had its difficulty maxed out, level unmeasurable.
But the Ultimate Knight was fixed at 1,100.
Would Jeong Hoon, who beat Urs, fail against the Ultimate Knight?
Jeong Hoon had no regrets.
"If you don't like it, forget it."
......Can we add one more condition?
"Add to it?"
Yeah. This feels like you're biting off too much.
"Let's hear it."
If you slay the Ultimate Knight and successfully obtain the Soul of Darknesswhich it drops at extremely low oddsit's your win.
The Soul of Darkness.
The New World guidebook mentioned it dropped at very low odds from the Ultimate Knight.
The exact probability wasn't public, but users deemed it effectively zero.
No one had ever gotten it since launch, despite countless slayers.
"You're betting I'll fail for sure."
Why think that? Just bring the Soul of Darkness.
"You know how low the odds are and still say that?"
That's how it has to be. I'll stake 10 Ultimate Energy.
Baal knew Jeong Hoon coveted Ultimate Energy, so he bet that again.
But Jeong Hoon wanted something else besides energy.
"I'll accept if you add that."
Add what?
"Yeah. Experience."
He didn't need items right now.
Time to boost his power.
Hmm, how much?
"1 quadrillion."
......
The absurd number left Baal speechless.
"What? No good?"
1 trillion...... Anything more is impossible.
"Deal."
Trillion-level experience.
That would rocket him past 500 in an instant.
He hadn't really expected 1 quadrillion, but Baal offering 1 trillion first was unexpected.
Got it. I'll reappear when you hunt the Ultimate Knight.
"Yeah."
Time resumed flow as Baal vanished.
Forced Penalty Deleted!
The one who deleted the penalty is none other than a Korean!
Soon after the forced penalty vanished, countless articles flooded in.
They all claimed the hero who erased it was Korean.
Korea's standing skyrocketed as a result.
It's Korea's turn now!
- James Marcus? Yeah, he's there but couldn't do shit Korea's the strongest
That speech pattern is so annoying lololol
But who was the Korean?
Heard almost no survivors...... Hope he's okay.
Article says he's a Martial Artist over level 400?
Yeo Min-ji? Nah, she's not past 400.
Amid the flood of speculation, Ha-jin grinned ear to ear.
"As expected of Hoon! I knew you could do it!"
He threw an arm around Jeong Hoon's shoulder.
"Get off, you're annoying."
"Hey! That's not how you treat friends."
"Whatever."
Jeong Hoon, having erased the penalty, immediately summoned Ha-jin and Bong-gu.
Bong-gu hadn't finished his quest yet, so only Ha-jin arrived first at home.
"Anyway, I finished the fourth job change like you said."
Ha-jin had completed it early because he'd finished the Dark Lord fourth job quest.
"Okay. Now just waiting on Kim Bong-gu."
It was lower difficulty than Ha-jin's, so why was this guy taking so long?
Should he have pushed him harder?
"Kids, have some fruit."
Mom brought sliced apples and melons just in time.
She'd finished her quest too and was resting.
"Yes ma'am! Thank you!"
Ha-jin politely took the fruit plate.
"Mom, you free anytime soon?"
"Hm? Why?"
"Planning to head to Leas after a few days' rest. Want you to come with."
"Sure?"
"Yeah. With fourth job done, we're going to Darvis."
Darvis.
The town you could only enter at level 301 with fourth job complete.
Post-materialization, the path was blocked entirelyyou had to slay the Ultimate Knight to pass.
Jeong Hoon had delayed this long to clear the way for Mom, Ha-jin, and Bong-gu.
'Oh, Hoyoung guild members too.'
He'd gather everyone who'd finished fourth job and take down the Ultimate Knight.
Fingers crossed for the Soul of Darkness, but who knew how long it'd take.
'Gotta use a cheat method.'
Straight grinding wouldn't cut it.