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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Endgame Tier
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Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded like mad.
His breathing grew ragged in an instant.
But no matter what, he couldn't calm his excitement.
'Eternal grade...!'
Eternal grade items hardly ever appeared even from Diamond Boxes.
Right up until his regression, he had only managed to collect three Eternal-grade armaments at most.
Items obtainable in the Abyss were divided into a total of eight grades.
Normal, Rare, Unique, Epic, Ancient, Legendary, Eternal, and Zero.
The highest grade from a Gold Box was Epic.
Even Platinum Boxes topped out at Legendary.
A grade that should never have appeared under normal circumstances.
'...I've heard rumors that boxes of a higher rank occasionally yield something even better.'
But even that was exceedingly rare.
However, he'd never once heard of a Platinum Box producing an Eternal grade item.
Excluding the 'Chalice of the Demon-Sealing God', he himself didn't possess any Zero-grade equipment or tools, making Eternal effectively the highest attainable grade in the Abyss.
What was astonishing wasn't just the grade.
'They're all endgame tier.'
Equipment whose mere names could make your mind go blank—items commonly referred to as "finals" or "endgame."
The World Tree Staff, Helmet of the Demon King Slayer, Greatsword of Ghaz Knight... Every one of them was more than worthy of dominating the top ranks among Eternal-grade gear.
No matter how high your level, without equipment like this to back it up, you could never become a high ranker.
They were the exclusive property and proof of the absolute strongest, such that no one would dare object to calling them "endgame."
And what about the Heart of the True Demon Dragon and the Star Magic Tome?
Consuming the Heart of the True Demon Dragon allowed you to alter your very constitution.
The Star Magic Tome was an item used when changing classes to 'Star Mage.'
Any mage walking the path of magic would drool at the sight of them.
'Pick just one of these?'
Honestly, it wasn't easy to choose.
He wanted to walk the path of truth, yet Park Chan-woo had originally been a warrior and a knight.
The Helmet of the Demon King Slayer and Greatsword of Ghaz Knight had nothing to do with mages, but knowing their value made it impossible to let go easily.
'The Greatsword of Ghaz Knight was one of Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo's cherished blades.'
In particular, the Greatsword of Ghaz Knight was one of the five swords in Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo's famed collection.
The image of that greatsword smashing the Demon Horse King's skull was still vivid in his mind, as if it had happened yesterday.
How envious he'd been.
Park Chan-woo had always been cursed with rotten equipment luck.
He'd never even owned a single proper sword.
'If I start with that sword, I could properly walk the knight's path...'
A cheat-like effect that boosted the level of every sword-related skill.
He could rampage even more ferociously as a knight than before.
Yet Park Chan-woo shook his head anyway.
His aptitude didn't lie with the sword. He might grow quickly, but he could never reach the pinnacle.
Even wielding a great sword and being perfectly equipped wouldn't change that.
He would never reach the realm Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo had attained.
He'd already experienced it once before.
The reward he would choose had been decided from the start.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Reward selection completed. Acquired 'World Tree Staff'. ⚔ ITEM DETAILS ⚔ 📛 Name: World Tree Staff 📊 Level: -98 ⭐ Grade: Eternal ⚔ Equip Slot: One-Handed Staff 🔨 Attack Power: 31 🛡️ Durability: 1,500
Description: A staff crafted by the God of Blacksmithing, Agzosa, using the World Tree as material. It is said that in ancient times, in a highly advanced magical civilization, only the greatest mages known as 'Archmages' could wield this staff.
Unique Options:
(1) Magic Power +10
(2) Enhances the grade of all magic by one step.
(3) Transcends one chosen magic into a 'Great Magic'.
Park Chan-woo's pupils trembled faintly.
The unique options on the World Tree Staff were brutally overpowered.
It was plastered with abilities any mage could only dream of.
'Great Magic. Meaning, elevating magic to the level of divine authority.'
The most crucial was the third option.
Transcending one chosen magic into a Great Magic meant granting a single spell the performance of a divine power.
Park Chan-woo smiled faintly.
He wasn't a mage yet, but that was about to change soon enough.
'...I'll walk the path of the Archmage.'
Dragon God Sepiro.
Countless people had despaired trying to reach that monster.
Yet the only thing that had ever wounded its flesh was Park Chan-woo's magic.
The lord of magic had been impressed enough to call him an Archmage, so if he properly walked the path of truth this time, he could produce different results.
'It's already evening.'
Park Chan-woo glanced out the window.
The sun, which had been sinking lazily, had now fully set.
Darkness filled the world before he knew it.
It was about time for people to start drifting off to sleep, one by one, preparing for tomorrow.
At this hour, everyone had let their guard down.
As if the Abyss would open again today of all days.
As if this would keep happening over and over.
Past Park Chan-woo had thought the same.
'They won't give a damn about our situation.'
Park Chan-woo looked up at the round full moon.
Soon, a short message appeared before the eyes of all humanity.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Night' has arrived. The Abyss of the 'First Night' will open shortly. Earthlings who wish to participate, please look at the 'moon' right now. It will begin once 2,000,000 participants have gathered. If the above number is not reached within 30 minutes, the 'Abyss of Death' will open across the entire Earth.
Night had come.
The most brutal night for some, and perhaps the most crucial for others.
Park Chan-woo was already gazing at the moon.
'If the Abyss of Death opens, at least tens of millions will die.'
The Abyss of Death was the worst.
Humanity had once endured it, and afterward, they desperately scrambled to meet the participant quota no matter what.
Reapers appeared worldwide, slaughtering people indiscriminately until sunrise. There was no stopping it.
However, participating in the 'Night Abyss' offered boundless rewards.
It didn't open often, and on special nights, it poured out even more valuable prizes.
Naturally, the Abyss of the 'First Night' was more special than any other. He'd heard priceless treasures beyond valuation had been discovered there.
'I didn't join back then.'
But in the past, he hadn't been able to participate in this Abyss.
The terror from the lunch incident had been too much; he couldn't muster the courage.
Not just him—most people had felt the same.
Of course, everyone worried whether the '2 million' quota would even be met.
But.
'The world has more crazies than you'd think.'
Now, Park Chan-woo had become one of them.
What he wanted from the 'First Night Abyss' was exactly two things.
'...Acquire a class and find the Mage's Stone. I have to nail these two, no matter what.'
The foundation for his explosive growth.
Obtaining the Mage class and the Mage's Stone.
Also known as the Sage's Stone, it had been discovered in the First Night Abyss.
Of course, it had only been discovered—no one had actually acquired it.
But to truly walk the path of the Archmage, he had to find it.
The Mage's Stone was a 'growth-type treasure' whose benefits grew immensely the sooner you obtained it.
If he could secure the 'Mage's Stone' at this point, he'd get one step closer to Dragon God Sepiro.
'I'll definitely surpass you, Sepiro.'
No, Park Chan-woo wanted more than that.
His goal was to become an invincible absolute that no one could oppose.
Soon, the awaited message appeared before him.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Participation confirmed. 2,000,000 participants gathered. Participants will now enter the 'First Night Abyss'. Until morning, unite your strength to slay the 'Twelve Divine Generals'! Everything needed to defeat the Twelve Divine Generals exists within this 'Abyss'. If the Twelve Divine Generals are not all defeated, participants ranked 20,000th or lower in contribution will all perish.
Kwaaaaang!
In that instant, a massive explosion erupted in the distance.
Something had streaked down from the sky like a meteor, vaporizing the surrounding area.
'One of the Twelve Divine Generals.'
One of the Twelve Divine Generals had appeared in Korea.
-Lee Hyuk-soo. If you could go back in time, what would you most want to avoid?
-...As expected of a madman, asking something ridiculous. If I went back, what must I avoid no matter what?
Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo.
The third human to reach level 99, one of the strongest.
On the way to the Dragon God Temple. When the entire suicide squad was dying.
The man called the 'Abyss Hunter' for never shying from a fight and possessing an indomitable challenge spirit answered Park Chan-woo's question with a look of utter exasperation.
-...Obviously the 'First Night Abyss'. The other Twelve Divine Generals can be conquered, but that 'Dragon God General' is absolutely impossible to kill.
If he could turn back time, he'd unconditionally avoid the First Night Abyss.
Especially, he'd never fight the Dragon God General.
'Lee Hyuk-soo must be here too.'
Park Chan-woo thought as he watched the world drown in the Abyss.
Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo was in this Abyss.
And so was the 'Dragon God General', called the worst and most vicious in the past, the one that led 1.98 million to their deaths—right here in Korea.