Level -99 Archmage

Chapter 27. The Treasure Chest

Kuuuuung! 

A massive “hippopotamus” collapses.

The ground trembles as the enormous hippopotamus, nearly three times the size of an average one, falls, and the surrounding people erupted into cheers.

“Ohhhhh!”

“Saviors!”

“We believe in you, we believe in you!”

More than thirty people were present—members of the “Dawn Fellowship” who had initially followed Yoo Hanseop, along with those who had recklessly entered and found themselves in danger.

They all showered praise upon the two men standing at the forefront.

“……”

“I won again this time.”

In the man’s palm was a “Gold Box,” shrunken to a small size. It was the reward for the quest, given to the one who contributed the most in defeating the giant hippopotamus. In contrast, Lee Hyuksoo, who had the second-highest contribution, received a “Silver Box”.

The man smirked.

“Still, you weren’t bad. You just put too much strength in your shoulders and wrists. That’s because you’re not used to wielding a real sword. You should fix that before it becomes a habit.”

“……”

The man continued to lecture Lee Hyuksoo, not only about his sword-wielding posture but also about how to fight monsters. However, Lee Hyuksoo remained silent. A stranger had suddenly appeared and started offering unsolicited advice, there was no way he would appreciate it.

‘Who the hell is this guy?’

Lee Hyuksoo had been roaming the Abyss after cutting off Yoo Hanseop’s arm, hunting monsters along the way. In the process, he had saved people, and a group had naturally formed around him. Though the people hailed him as a “savior,” he had no grand aspirations of being one. The only reason he had entered the “Water God’s Abyss” was to protect his mother. For South Korea to be safe, his mother had to be safe too. Yet, at some point, this man had appeared, insisting on joining him and persistently interfering.

“So, how about we form a ‘party’ now?”

The man kept pestering him to form a party. Of course, Lee Hyuksoo knew from experience that forming a party wasn’t necessarily a bad idea. Thanks to teaming up with a Prophet, he had managed to kill the Dragon God’s General in the “First Night of the Abyss”. But this time was different. This overly friendly man was starting to feel burdensome. Lee Hyuksoo was not a social person, he knew that well about himself. But he also knew that people who suddenly acted friendly were rarely trustworthy. As he turned his back, the man continued listing the benefits of forming a party.

“If we form a party, we can share rewards based on contribution. Quests will be easier, leveling up will be faster, and if we work together, we can even kill the Water God.”

Thud!

Lee Hyuksoo stopped in his tracks at the mention of the Water God.

“…I have no intention of forming a party with a stranger.”

“……The name is Han Shin. Last name Han, first name Shin. Thirty-one years old.”

“Lee Hyuksoo.”

His reply was curt, but Han Shin smiled. Just stating his name, that was his style. In this new world, age and occupation were meaningless. What truly mattered now was strength. Only the raw power to crush flesh and bone would define one’s worth.

‘He certainly has talent.’

Han Shin recognized Lee Hyuksoo’s potential. The more he fought, the more he adapted at an astonishing rate. That proved he had a solid foundation. It was as if he had been fighting his whole life.

‘And he’s got that madness too.’

But what Han Shin liked the most was something else.

…He seemed to have almost no fear. His eyes never wavered, and he never backed down. Fearless, like a beast, he fought until his enemy was dead.

‘I never thought I’d meet someone like me in this world.’

Han Shin was impressed. From a young age, he had been different from others. Stronger than anyone, he instinctively knew how to fight. Even without effort, his muscles grew, and he had an innate ability to wield weapons. But he had no interest in training. He could surpass masters who had trained for decades in just a month. National champion? World’s best athlete? No matter the field, if it involved physical prowess, Han Shin dominated. It never took him more than 30 days to defeat them.

If he had been born in the past, he would have been called a Martial God. But in modern society, his talent was nothing more than a curse. No battlefield to unleash his power, no way to prove his strength. What was the point of training his body if there was nowhere to use it? A warzone? No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t stop bullets. So, he chose to live quietly, unnoticed. Until the Abyss appeared.

‘The Abyss was made for me.’

It thrilled him to the core. Finally, a world had emerged where he could test his limits. A world where firearms were meaningless. A lawless land where only the strength of the body mattered. A perfect survival-of-the-fittest battleground!

‘I will stand at the pinnacle.’

He would become the strongest. And then, he would save humanity. Not just a ruler, but a true leader of the new world. But he couldn’t do it alone. He needed strong subordinates, ones he could rely on as his hands and feet. Someone like Lee Hyuksoo. A talent so dazzling it was almost blinding. A talent that had yet to fully blossom, but one that Han Shin could nurture.

“Let’s hunt the Water God, Lee Hyuksoo.”

Han Shin spoke with conviction. A moment ago, Lee Hyuksoo had stopped at the mention of the Water God. That meant he was serious about hunting it. Reckless, perhaps, but that made him even more appealing.

“……”

Lee Hyuksoo hesitated. Han Shin was undeniably strong. Even though he hadn’t been seen in the “First Night of the Abyss,” his pure strength and equipment were exceptional. If they fought head-on, Lee Hyuksoo wasn’t confident he could win. He had no idea where this monster of a man had come from, but if he really wanted to hunt the Water God, forming a party would make it much easier. The process of forming a party was simple. They just had to clasp hands, and the system would do the rest. Han Shin held out both hands without hesitation.

“What’s there to think about? I want to protect Korea too. But I can’t kill the Water God alone. This is exactly the time when we should join forces.”

“……”

Lee Hyuksoo’s hesitation wasn’t about whether to form a party. It was about Han Shin’s identity. What if Han Shin was a deity’s avatar? It was a real possibility. But hunting the Water God was also important. In that moment—

“Hmm?”

Han Shin tilted his head in confusion. Then, he suddenly rummaged through his belongings and pulled out an empty glass bottle, frowning.

‘……The life force contained in the Life Vessel has disappeared.’

It was a strange occurrence. A plan for himself. He had prepared the Life Vessel in advance to eliminate the Lich Necromancer. If he approached and shattered this glass bottle, the guardian protecting the altar would disappear. Naturally, the barrier would also vanish, allowing him to open the treasure chest on the altar and obtain the “plan” he had set up. He intended to let others witness this process, establishing himself as a “savior” in their eyes. But now, it was gone. The massive life force that should have been inside the Life Vessel.

‘…Could it be…?’

Han Shin inwardly furrowed his brows. Had the Lich died? And if so, had someone else broken the barrier? Even if that were the case, opening the treasure chest was impossible. Only he knew the magical pattern required to unlock it. No, strictly speaking, the priest guarding the altar, the Lich, would also know it, but how could a sealed spirit possibly reveal that method?

Han Shin took a deep breath.

‘They won’t be able to open the chest, no matter what.’

Yes. His “plan” was safe. He was confident that no one could take it anyway.

“What’s wrong?”

“…No, it’s nothing. Anyway… shall we go ahead and finalize the ‘party’?”

* * *

At Lee Hyuk-soo’s question, Han Shin forced a smile and spoke. Lich Necromancer Yan. Once the priest of the orcs, he was now facing his demise. Most of the petals had already been consumed by Anubis. Yet, Yan felt joy. He was finally able to rest in peace. Moreover, if his end was brought by that being, he couldn’t have wished for a better fate.

「I humbly offer my death.」

The one who calls, guides, and devours death. Yan willingly offered his death to him. He had been meant to die long ago. In the war against the other races, his fellow orcs had been annihilated, and he alone had been left to guard the altar. To fulfill his duty as a priest, he sacrificed his life to erect a barrier. But at some point, he had become a Lich.

‘Aheta. Damn god of the night.’

Aheta, the night god had turned Yan into a Lich and bound him. The otherworldly beings who followed Aheta had turned his world into a sea of fire. They had forcibly sealed away beings with unique abilities under the name of “death.” Since then, Yan had been trapped in the “Temple of Death” for an eternity. Anubis had once been the guardian of the Temple of Death but had fallen into corruption. The temple’s master had changed to “Aheta”… but now…

「I greet the one who shall be the master of ‘death’!」

Yan welcomed his annihilation with joy. He didn’t know why that being was with humans, but there was no doubt that he was deeply connected to death itself.

Gulp!

The radiant Anubis swallowed the last petal. At that moment—

『‘Radiant Anubis’ has consumed ‘Flower of Life (Legendary).’』

『The postponed death of ‘Orc Priest Yan’ has been carried out.』

『‘Radiant Anubis’ gains a 1.1x increase in stat growth rate.』

『‘Radiant Anubis’ acquires 10 potential points.』

『The ‘pet’s’ potential points can be allocated by its owner.』

Radiant Anubis had undergone rapid growth. Not only that, but he had also obtained an increase in “stat growth rate.” It was a miraculous effect.

‘This is beyond an elixir.’

Consuming death seemed to be akin to humans consuming an elixir. And on top of that, he had earned ten freely assignable stat points. That was something that even a supreme elixir couldn’t grant.

「I know the magical pattern needed to open the treasure chest. I will use the last of my remaining magic to unlock it for you.」

In an instant, the previously rigid body of the Lich Yan began to move.

He raised his staff toward the altar. Then—

Whoooosh!

A brilliant light erupted from the altar. That light gathered around the “treasure chest.” And then—

Creak!

The treasure chest opened.

「Thank you… for granting me peace…」

As Yan finished his words—

Fwoosh!

His body crumbled into dust and scattered.

『‘Orc Priest Yan’ has found peace.』

『Hidden Quest ‘Hunt the Lich Necromancer’ has been completed.』

『First Achievement: ‘The One Who Led a Lich to Death’ has been attained.』

『Honor has greatly increased.』

『You have received ‘1 Coin.’』

『The grade of the treasure inside the ‘Treasure Chest’ has increased by one level.』

A hidden quest and a first-time achievement. For a human, obtaining coins was nearly impossible unless they managed to bankrupt the creator. But if the creator himself had set coins as a reward, then it was a different story.

‘Did he intend to give it all to that guy?’

The creator who had made a contract with him must have been extremely eager to reward the master of this “plan.” The rewards and achievements gained were already remarkable. Later, depending on the “honor” acquired, access to the Abyss, quests, or even special titles would become available. Raising honor through achievements was an incredibly important task. Park Chan-woo smirked and slowly approached the treasure chest. After such a convoluted process, he was immensely curious about what had been left behind as the “plan.” Without hesitation, he peered inside the chest. And then—

“…This is insane.”