-99 Level Archmage

Chapter 13. Three Seconds Finish

Game Master Andariel said, “Everything needed to conquer the Twelve Divine Generals was in “Water Paradise Nightclub.”

He claimed that the treasure beyond the veil would be enough to clear them. That statement was somewhat true. The problem is that we don’t have enough points to obtain it. Under normal circumstances, gathering that many points would be impossible. Each individual had to collect their own points and personally purchase every required item. Because of the nature of the Abyss, any items obtained were only usable by the person who acquired them. The only thing that could be transferred was “coins”. However, if there were obedient “party members,” things would be different. It would be possible to divide the roles effectively. That was why Park Chan-woo had given Lee Hyuk-soo the Undying King Set.

The first and only “Indomitable” effect attached to the Undying King Set. A skill that activated upon receiving a fatal blow, Indomitable. A skill granting 3 seconds of invincibility! Although it was a one-time-use effect that disappeared upon activation, those 3 seconds were all they needed to take down the Dragon General. Of course, there were still risks. Would Lee Hyuk-soo follow the plan? After all, this meant willingly stepping into the stepdoor of death. Could he really entrust his life to nothing but the Indomitable effect? Even Park Chan-woo himself wouldn’t agree to it if he were in Hyuk-soo’s position. That’s why Park Chan-woo planned to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“Lee Hyuk-soo. We’re going to kill the Dragon General.”

“…Can we really kill it?”

Only 10 minutes remained.

Lee Hyuk-soo asked with a doubtful expression. The Dragon General was a monster that had single-handedly slaughtered 50,000 people. Even though Park Chan-woo had killed Game Master Andariel, from Hyuk-soo’s perspective, the Dragon General still seemed far stronger.

“If everything goes according to my plan, we can kill the Dragon General within 3 seconds of Indomitable activation.”

“…Wait. Indomitable only activates when I take a fatal hit… Don’t tell me you’re asking me to willingly put myself in harm’s way?”

“Oh? Sharp as always. Yes, Indomitable must activate, which means you need to take a lethal hit right from the start.”

The activation of Indomitable was a prerequisite. That meant Hyuk-soo had to start the battle by getting critically injured.

“…Why should I do that?”

However, Lee Hyuk-soo had already bought an Elixir. He had followed Park Chan-woo’s instructions at the nightclub, constantly engaging in bookings (in-game interactions) and gathering resources. All he needed to do now was leave the Abyss. With the equipment he obtained here, he could easily climb into the top 20,000 ranks. No matter how powerful and monstrous Park Chan-woo was, Hyuk-soo wasn’t crazy enough to throw himself into death. Seeing his expected hesitation, Park Chan-woo pulled out a coin from his pocket.

“Take this.”

“…A tip?”

Lee Hyuk-soo blinked as he caught the coin. It was the same tip Park Chan-woo had given to Andariel. The only thing that remained after Andariel’s death. Park Chan-woo spoke without concern.

“I told you before, saving your mother with the Elixir isn’t the end of it.”

“Yeah, you did say that…”

“Take that ‘coin’ to your mother. As long as she has it, the demons of the Abyss won’t be able to take her easily.”

Lee Hyuk-soo’s eyes widened.

“…What kind of item is this?”

“It’s an ‘Escape Coin.’ With this, you can escape the Abyss.”

“Escape Coin… Can it be used here too?”

“Of course. You can use it right now if you want.”

Hearing that, Lee Hyuk-soo looked down at the coin in his hand again. Andariel had treated Park Chan-woo with utmost respect because of this coin. There was no doubt that it was extraordinary. If simply possessing this coin meant he could avoid being dragged into this hellish place ever again, or escape altogether,  then this might be even more valuable than the Elixir.

“What makes you think I won’t just use this coin to escape right now?”

“Lee Hyuk-soo. You’re ‘different’ from others, but you’re not a selfish person.”

“……”

Lee Hyuk-soo pressed his lips together. Park Chan-woo’s words struck something deep inside him.

“Hyuk-soo, you’re a kind child. You’re just a little different from others. They simply don’t understand you.” That’s what his mother always said.

Even when he came home after fights, she was always on his side. She was certain that Hyuk-soo had never started a fight without reason.

“…Tell me what to do. I’ll follow your instructions exactly.”

At last, Lee Hyuk-soo was willing to risk his life. Since he had come this far, he might as well see it through.

‘It’s all set.’ 

Park Chan-woo nodded. Preparations were complete. Now, only one thing remained.

‘I just need to awaken as a Mage.’

* * *

『You have taken a fatal hit.』

『The “Indomitable” effect has been activated (1-time use).』

At the same time, Lee Hyuk-soo ran like a madman. Indomitable had activated. He had exactly 3 seconds. If he didn’t reach the Dragon General within that time, he was a dead meat. It was insane to charge straight ahead when escape wasn’t even an option.

“Slash. Cut. Keep cutting.”

Even though he was invincible for 3 seconds, getting close was the real challenge. Because the Dragon General wasn’t going to stand still. With twelve arms, each wielding a massive crescent blade, Running toward him was absolute madness. Yet, Lee Hyuk-soo did not stop.

“Hyuk-soo, I will cast a spell on you.”

Park Chan-woo had said. He hadn’t explained what kind of spell it was, only that Hyuk-soo needed to get close and swing his sword.

And at that moment—

『The “Indomitable” effect has ended!』

SWOOSH!

Lee Hyuk-soo swung his Undying King’s Greatsword.

“Foolish human.”

The Dragon General sneered and effortlessly blocked the attack with his crescent blade. But the moment the weapons clashed—

BOOOOOOM!!!

A deafening explosion tore through the air. Yet, Lee Hyuk-soo was completely unscathed. Because every ounce of explosive force was directed solely at the Dragon General. Skin burned and scales melted off as the Dragon General shrieked in agony.

“KRAAAAAAAH!!”

The pain was unbearable. But what was worse was the realization of why this explosion had happened.

“…It’s my own magic. My own attack was reflected back at me.”

The spell that Park Chan-woo had cast was a Reflection Magic. The Dragon General had unknowingly poured all his energy into his own demise.

“I don’t know what kind of great mage you are… But you will regret aiding Ahéta!”

Those were his final words. As his own power turned against him, the Dragon General was reduced to ashes.

『The “Dragon General” has been slain.』

『All Twelve Divine Generals are now dead.』

『The First Night of the Abyss will end in 3 minutes.』

“…”

Lee Hyuk-soo stood in stunned silence. He had simply done what Park Chan-woo told him to do, and the Dragon General was truly dead. It was true that a spell had been cast on him. The strike and explosion from a moment ago, They had nothing to do with his own strength.

‘…Three seconds really were enough.’

A shiver ran down his spine. He could barely breathe properly. From the moment he summoned the Grim Reaper to slay the demon, he knew, This man was no ordinary being.

‘A being at pinnacle . That guy is a monster at the very top.’

Something that two million humans couldn’t accomplish, he did it alone, in just three seconds. Even the Dragon God General acknowledged it. He called him a great magician. Perhaps, he never needed my help in the first place. Even Hyuk-Soo Lee could tell that the self-proclaimed prophet was undoubtedly a ‘Great Mage’ who had reached an unfathomable level.

Clap, clap!

At that moment, applause echoed from somewhere. The first to appear was Team Leader Byung-Han Kim.

“I knew it! Ever since I first saw you at ‘Good Vibe Nightclub,’ I knew you’d make a name for yourself! I believed in you!”

He approached in a friendly manner, flattering him. Thanks to this, it was confirmed that Hyuk-Soo Lee was indeed human. Soon, people who had been hiding around started appearing one by one.

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

“The Dragon General is dead!”

“The hero who killed the Dragon General!”

“A hero is born!”

People quickly surrounded Hyuk-Soo Lee. An uncountable crowd.

“What’s your name?”

“Where did you get all that equipment?”

“What country are you from?”

A flood of questions poured in. Hyuk-Soo Lee barely managed to open his mouth.

“It wasn’t me who killed it…”

“Haha, so humble!”

“No one else could even approach it, yet you slayed that monster with a single strike!”

In the end, Hyuk-Soo Lee couldn’t answer. Because, strictly speaking, he wasn’t the one who killed the Dragon General.

‘Where did he go?’

No matter how much he looked around, the ‘self-proclaimed prophet’ was nowhere to be seen. Hyuk-Soo Lee instinctively knew. He had left. After finishing everything he needed to do, he had quietly disappeared. There was a strange sense of regret. A hollow feeling in his chest. Though their time together was short, Hyuk-Soo Lee would never forget what he experienced in the Abyss on the first night.

‘I should have at least asked for his name…’

* * *

Park Chanwoo stood alone on a deserted street. He confirmed that the Dragon General had died by his magic. Slowly, he looked up at the sky. At the ‘moon’ that floated above.

“Thank you, Master of the Moon.”

Squelch!

With the sound of flesh shifting, an eye embedded in the moon gazed down at Park Chanwoo. The moon had already turned crimson. Seeing this, Park Chanwoo smiled. It felt as though the bloodshot eye was filled with rage.

“Thanks to you, I became a Mage”

And so, he provoked it openly. Because he had finally achieved what he had longed for. As he slowly spoke the words ‘Status Window’, his information was displayed.

Affiliation: Earth / Human / South Korea

Name: Park Chan-woo

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Height/Weight: 180 cm / 69 kg

Level: -98

Stats:

Strength: (1+2)

Stamina: (1+2)

Agility: (+2)

Intelligence: (1+3)

Magic Power: (1+12)

Total Attack Power: 47

Total Defense Power: 11

Status: Weakest, Sickly, Frail, Nonexistent, Terminally Ill

Class: Mage (Lv.2)

Available Magic: Reflection (Great Magic, Rare)

Remaining Class Level Points: 0

Equipped Gear:

World Tree Staff (-98Lv, Eternal)

Demon’s Shoulder Guards (-98Lv, Epic)

Demonic Helmet (-98Lv, Epic)

Demonic Armor (-98Lv, Epic)

Demonic Boots (-98Lv, Epic)

Demonic Gauntlets (-98Lv, Epic)

Iron Shield (-98Lv, Rare)

Active Set Effect ‘Demonic Heart’: Significant intimidation, +1 Intelligence

Abyss Items in Possession:

Easter Egg (001)

Mage’s Stone (Legendary)

Emptiness (Eternal)

Coins (2)

Looking at the displayed status window, Park Chan-woo clenched his fist. It was just the first day. With the start of the Abyss, he had obtained a class. Hadn’t he always regretted stepping onto the path of a mage too late? He had finally corrected that regret.

‘In the Abyss, original classes are actually harder to obtain.’

An ‘original class’ referred to basic titles like Mage, Swordsman, or Archer. In the Abyss, these ‘original’ class names were actually the highest tier.

‘Most of the classes obtained in the Abyss come with modifiers.’

For example, instead of just Mage, most would be ‘Fire Mage’ or ‘Star Mage.’ However, such modifiers essentially imposed limits. Though they sounded cool, they restricted users to the power of their modifier. A Fire Mage could only learn fire magic, and a Star Mage could only learn star magic. So,

‘A pure, unmodified Mage is the best.’

Among mages, an ‘original’ class held overwhelming value. A lack of a modifier meant that one could learn ‘anything.’ They weren’t specialized, but they could master various abilities. They could learn more, progress further. Of course, that didn’t mean they could randomly learn opposing attributes. But for Park Chanwoo, it was possible.

‘Void. A relic that allows you to learn the opposing attributes.’

Because he had ‘Void’. A sacred artifact for mages that negated the repelling forces of opposite attributes. The start was good. Better than anyone else’s. Even though his level was disastrously low, he had enough to compensate. Looking at the remaining time, Park Chan-woo shrugged.

‘To think the book for the original Mage class would be here.’

Books that granted original classes were incredibly rare. But beyond the Veil, he had found one. That’s why he had used all his points after winning 70 consecutive battles to buy the Original Mage class book. All thanks to the ‘Master of the Moon’. It truly was a being of generosity.

“See you next ‘night.’”

Park Chanwoo grinned, baring his teeth. It was a smile filled with the intent to bankrupt the Master of the Moon as well. At that moment—

『‘First Night of the Abyss’ has ended.』

『You contributed 99% to the death of the ‘Dragon General.’』

『Among the ‘Twelve Generals,’ you contributed 49.9% overall.』

『Survival Rate: 86.5%』

『A survival rate 86.5 times greater than the expected 1%.』

『‘Rude Screaming Creator’ has gone bankrupt.』

『‘Sun-Dodging Creator’ has gone bankrupt.』

『‘Sinister Cave Creator’ has gone bankrupt.』

『A total of 10 ‘Coins’ will be distributed based on ranking and contribution rate.』

『You have acquired 5 ‘Coins.’』

『All survivors receive a ‘Gold Box (★).’』

…

『Level Up!』

『Level Up!』

『Acquired ‘Class Level Points (2).’』

『……Amazing!』

『No mythological feat can compare to this singular achievement. Your accomplishment has far exceeded all expectations of powerful beings, thus, you are granted an additional ‘Black Box.’』

“…Black Box?”