Chapter 276
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: Ultimate Hall
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To obtain the ultimate power, he needed to visit a specific location, just like with the Heavenly Hall.
Jeong Hoon headed toward the portal that led to Darvis.
An NPC stood guard in front of the massive portal, as expected.
NPC Information
-Nickname: Hyde
-Level: 250
-Job: Darvis Portal Guardian
"Hmm? How long has it been since you crossed over, and you're already back?"
Hyde recognized Jeong Hoon and tilted his head in confusion.
"Oh, I have somewhere to go for a bit."
"Somewhere to go? Where to?"
"The Ultimate Hall."
The place where he had obtained the heavenly power was the Heavenly Hall.
In the same vein, the ultimate power could be acquired at the Ultimate Hall.
And he knew this because...
You can start the Path of the Ultimate (2) by heading to the Ultimate Hall.
It came from the quest information.
"Sorry, but I've never heard of any Ultimate Hall."
Hyde let out a hollow laugh and waved his hand dismissively.
It was a place he'd never heard of before, and even if it existed, it couldn't be accessed through this portal.
But Jeong Hoon smiled brightly and approached the portal.
"I can go there."
"...I told you it's impossible."
"Check it out."
With that, Jeong Hoon stepped into the portal.
Hyde had no choice but to check the portal with a skeptical expression.
His eyes widened in shock.
"What... How is this possible?"
As soon as Jeong Hoon entered the portal, a new destination called the Ultimate Hall appeared.
In other words, it meant travel to the Ultimate Hall was now possible.
"Now you can go, right?"
"Uh... Yes. Understood."
Moving to the Ultimate Hall.
As soon as he selected the Ultimate Hall, Jeong Hoon's body was sucked into the portal.
Bang!
A gunshot echoed.
"Squeeeek!"
A sharp screech followed as a massive body toppled forward.
"Got it."
Lee Na-yeon, who had been aiming at the monster until the end, finally relaxed.
The monster she had just hunted was a Lv. 350 Great Hydra.
It was an evolved form of the Lv. 300 Hydra.
Hunting such a monster wasn't easy, but before the Genesis Sniper, the Great Hydra stood no chance and fell.
"Wow... Amazing."
The healer watching from the side expressed admiration.
Lee Na-yeon was in the midst of completing a quest to close a theme dungeon that had opened in the Alderma Earldom, accompanied by 30 knights, mages, and healers.
Every one of them was over Lv. 200, but that still wasn't enough to take on a Lv. 350 Great Hydra.
It was a boss monster a full 20 levels higher than Lee Na-yeon, who was Lv. 330.
But she was the Genesis Sniper.
With a Genesis Shot, she sealed the transparent barrier surrounding the Hydra for 3 minutes.
Then, with another Genesis Shot, she precisely struck the Hydra's head, sealing another special ability for 3 minutes.
Its eyes clearly showed panic now that key abilities were sealed.
The knights seized the opening and charged at the Hydra, while Lee Na-yeon fired an Annihilation Shot at its head.
Bang!
The Annihilation Shot hit its head, making it stagger, and from there, the subjugation proceeded smoothly.
Finally, Lee Na-yeon finished it off with a Destruction Shot.
"We've exterminated the Great Hydra!"
"Hooray!"
The knights raised their swords high and cheered.
"Thanks to you, we were able to subdue the Great Hydra."
"We truly appreciate it."
After the successful subjugation, upon returning to the earldom, she became a hero to everyone, including the count.
But she hadn't subdued the Great Hydra to hear hero chants.
Lee Na-yeon spotted the exclamation mark blinking above the count's head.
Quest completed.
Great Hydra perfectly subdued.
You can obtain a 'Special Reward.'
A special reward.
This was likely the key to gaining the opportunity.
"Take whatever you desire!"
The Alderma Count personally opened his vault.
Inside were various items, and among them, Lee Na-yeon chose a worn-out key.
"I'll take this one."
'Mysterious Key'
The Alderma Count looked troubled and said,
"Are you sure about that? It's a key my grandfather happened to acquire, but its use is unclear."
He urged her to take something else.
"It's fine. I'll go with this."
But Lee Na-yeon knew.
This was the key to the opportunity.
"...Understood."
The Alderma Count could no longer persuade her.
After leaving the mansion, Lee Na-yeon checked the message that had arrived from her son, Jeong Hoon.
Mom, how's the situation?
Lee Na-yeon smiled and replied.
She had grown this much thanks to her proud son.
This opportunity had been guided by him too, so something incredible must be hidden here.
You have entered the Ultimate Hall.
Upon entering the Ultimate Hall, a reply came from his mother.
Jeong Hoon's lips curved up as he checked it.
'Mom will get hers soon too.'
The Alderma Earldom his mother had headed to.
Completing the quests there in sequence would lead to the Great Hydra.
Successfully perfectly subjugating the Hydra would prompt the count to offer rewards, and among them, she needed to acquire the 'Mysterious Key.'
The key's use was at the ruins at the eastern edge.
The ruins east of Darvis had already been thoroughly explored by users, but after materialization, they were remade, hiding an opportunity inside.
The path to the opportunity was blocked by a lock designed to be physically unbreakable.
The 'Mysterious Key' was needed to unlock it, and once used, the door would open completely.
In other words, whoever got it first would claim it.
"The others are doing well too."
Replies had also arrived from Yeo Sun-woo and Yeo Min-ji.
They had all been delayed by their quests but reported successful completion.
By the time Jeong Hoon fully acquired the ultimate power, they would all have their opportunities.
"Now I just need to finish mine."
Jeong Hoon started walking.
The Ultimate Hall.
It resembled the Heavenly Hall but was a completely different structure.
In the center of the hall, an NPC couldn't take its eyes off Jeong Hoon.
Its face, filled with shock, was quite a sight.
NPC Information
-Nickname: Hariel
-Level: 1,000
-Job: Guide to the Ultimate
Unlike the Heavenly Hall, its name and level were visible.
'Hmm, is this also a title effect?'
Question marks appear when the gap is too vast.
Jeong Hoon had raised this title to level 10, elevating his stature.
That's why he could now read its nickname and level.
"How... How did you know about this place?"
Hariel was trembling like a leaf in the wind from sheer bewilderment.
"I've gathered all the ultimate energy, so of course I came."
Jeong Hoon smiled and shrugged.
"You've gathered all the energy?"
"Yes."
"It's... true...?"
"Would I lie?"
"Impossible... How on earth did you gather all the ultimate energy?"
The reason for Hariel's shock was simple.
After materialization, the limit on heavenly energy had been lifted.
To advance beyond Legendary, many were gathering heavenly energy.
And in that situation, a human arrives having filled 100 ultimate energy?
Gathering ultimate energy required a different condition.
Subjugating those who had ascended to the heavens.
Not just humans who reached the heavens, but Transcendents.
Even then, you'd only get 0.10.3 at best.
"There are ways."
"...No way you received energy from a Lord-rank or higher?"
Quick on the uptake.
Indeed, to reach 100, intervention from a higher Transcendent was necessary.
Jeong Hoon nodded honestly.
"Yes."
"...I see."
"So, can we start the quest right away?"
He couldn't acquire the ultimate power immediately.
To acquire the ultimate power, you must complete all Path of the Ultimate quests.
He had to complete all the Path of the Ultimate quests.
Jeong Hoon had finished Path of the Ultimate (1) so far.
In that quest, starting from Myeongwang Fist Technique, he had upgraded various skills to Heavenly Demon Divine Arts.
'I wonder what the next path's reward will be.'
The NPC snapped its fingers.
A portal appeared a short distance away.
"To receive a quest from me, clear that portal perfectly and come back."
"Got it."
Jeong Hoon approached the portal.
Would you like to enter the Lv. 920 Castle of the Doom-Shrouded Shadow?
A dungeon boasting a whopping Lv. 920.
'It won't be an easy quest.'
In Path of the Ultimate (1), he faced the demon lord-level Transcendent Byulrang.
It was a 10-minute endurance quest, cleared relatively easily, but the second one wouldn't be.
Path of the Ultimate (1) unlocked after surpassing 8 ultimate energy, but Path of the Ultimate (2) only after reaching 60.
Starting Path of the Ultimate (2).
Entry restriction to Lv. 920 Castle of the Doom-Shrouded Shadow lifted.
'Entering.'
As Jeong Hoon confirmed entry, his body was sucked into the portal.
'Who on earth... Who gave that much energy to a human?'
Hariel stared at the portal in confusion.
A human just over Lv. 500.
Impressive for a human, no denying that.
But not just reaching the heavenshe was aiming for the ultimate.
An utterly absurd situation.
Then it happened.
The air warped, and red eyes appeared through the rift.
You're the guide?
It was Baal.
The Demon Realm's Lord Baal.
Hariel prostrated immediately upon meeting its gaze.
"I greet the great Lord of the Demon Realm."
Yes.
"May I ask why you grace this humble place with your interest?"
I couldn't help it. That ultimate energy is practically all thanks to me.
"Yes?!"
Hariel nearly committed a grave rudeness.
To think the Demon Realm's Lord had bestowed that ultimate energy.
What could that human possibly be?
An entertaining human. He amuses me greatly.
"B-But granting ultimate power to a human... isn't that too much?"
You sure run your mouth, huh? I'd grind you to dust if I could.
"S-Sorry!"
Hariel's body trembled in fear.
If the Lord was angry, he was dead right there.
Unfortunately, I can't. Be grateful to that human. Without him, you'd be dead already.
"Yes...!"
Anyway, I want your opinion. Do you think that human can acquire the ultimate power?
Why ask such a question?
Hariel's mind raced.
"Y-You chose him, my Lord. How dare I judge?"
Baal's eyes curved like crescent moons, pleased with the answer.
I haven't made a contract yet.
At the mention of a contract, Hariel looked up in shock.
"A c-contract, my Lord?"
The great Lord contracting with a mere human.
Something even apostles wouldn't do.
For that, he must fail to acquire the ultimate power.
"I-Indeed..."
So, raise the trial's difficulty appropriately.
"The trial's difficulty?"
Yes. I want him to fail and have no choice but to come to me.
Hariel nodded.
He didn't know the reason, but he too didn't want the human to gain the ultimate power.
If Baal had ordered him to let the human succeed, it would have been troubling, but this aligned perfectly with his wishes.
"Understood! I'll do my utmost to prevent him from acquiring the power."
Good. I'll be expecting it.
With that, Baal vanished.