Level -99 Archmage

Chapter 31. Fever Time

Han Shin had an exceptional eye for assessing people from birth. In particular, he possessed a natural talent for gauging an opponent’s strength. This talent manifested as a skill called Mind’s Eye upon his awakening, allowing him to see an opponent’s stats at a glance, as long as their level was lower than his own.

‘All stats are just 1?’

The numbers were so unbelievable that even after seeing them, he could hardly trust his own eyes. Every single one of Park Chanwoo’s base stats was merely 1. Even frail, elderly people in their final days had better stats than this. Even a newborn baby might have higher numbers. It was too low for a full-grown adult. Han Shin glanced at Park Chanwoo’s complexion to confirm if he had seen correctly.

‘…A terminal patient?’

His face was deathly pale, almost ghastly. His lips were cracked and dry, his skin flaking. Dark shadows hung under his lifeless eyes, and his cheeks were sunken. Only after considering all these signs did Han Shin accept what he saw. Park Chanwoo’s condition was no different from a critically ill patient on the verge of death. Someone who should have been hooked up to a ventilator in an emergency room was somehow walking around outside. From what Han Shin had observed using Mind’s Eye, people with abnormally low stats were usually patients in critical condition. Most of them thought their awakening had cured their illness, only to end up dying tragically outside. This man was likely one of them.

‘Definitely not the one I’m looking for.’

Han Shin was searching for someone. The person who had stolen his rightful fortune and killed the Guardian. That person had to be stronger than him, or possess an absurdly high stat multiplier. Someone inhuman, an Irregular. Yet…

‘…No one.’

He had checked exactly 627 people. But no individual or group stood out as capable of slaying a Guardian. Had he missed something? It had taken him about 30 seconds to scan all 627 people around the Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue. No one had left the area at that time. Han Shin’s dynamic vision surpassed that of any beast, and his sensory perception was transcendent. When people said he had humanity’s greatest talent, it wasn’t an exaggeration. Yet, he had failed.

If the target was here, there was no way he wouldn’t have noticed. Even without Mind’s Eye, no one could escape Han Shin’s gaze. But no matter how many times he scanned the crowd, no one stood out as powerful enough to hunt a Guardian. Not even Lee Hyuksoo, whom Han Shin had been keeping an eye on. After all, Lee Hyuksoo had been with him the entire time in the Guardian Abyss.

‘…Who was it? Who the hell—’

“Damn, I barely survived!”

“Shit. I don’t even have the guts to enter another dungeon.”

“S-Someone take me to a hospital!”

People began to scatter. Han Shin grew more anxious. No matter how extraordinary he was, he was still just one person. Meanwhile, the crowd was dispersing in dozens of different directions. His eyes darted rapidly. If the culprit was among them, this was his last chance to find them before they disappeared. Yet, Han Shin still paid no attention to Park Chanwoo.

‘As expected, he doesn’t recognize me.’

Park Chanwoo turned away. Slowly. Leisurely. With steps no different from his usual pace. For the first time since his regression, he had encountered Han Shin. The monster who had become humanity’s first Level 99. Moreover, he had reached Level 99 a full three years before the second person to do so. And that was just what was officially recorded. In reality, he had likely reached it even sooner. A hero of unparalleled growth. A beacon of hope for humanity. Once, Han Shin’s name had been synonymous with human resilience. Now, facing him, Park Chanwoo felt his nerves tighten. Han Shin was obsessed with finding the person who had stolen his fortune and killed the Guardian. With his skills, it wasn’t impossible.

Mind’s Eye . A cheat skill that allowed him to see through everything. It was so powerful that people joked it was like hacking into status windows. It revealed every single detail. Perhaps that’s why, standing before Han Shin always felt like being stripped bare. Yet, just now, Han Shin’s gaze had passed over him.

‘His skill must still be too weak to see everything.’

Every skill had grades. No ability started off at its full potential. Even godlike talents that transformed into skills had restrictions, unless they leveled up their class and increased their skill grade, they faced limitations in scope, efficiency, or activation conditions. At most, Han Shin had only seen base stats. And that was why he had immediately dismissed Park Chanwoo as a suspect.

‘You still despise the weak, Han Shin.’

Park Chanwoo recognized that look in his eyes. That unmistakable contempt for the weak. The same gaze was now directed at him. Han Shin saw him as nothing more than a pathetic, worthless human. Since he wasn’t hiding behind a mask, it was even clearer. That settled it.

‘I confirmed three things.’

First, Han Shin’s contracted deity wasn’t the Great Nine Lords, but Ahéta, the Moon Lord. Second. Even Ahéta couldn’t perceive Park Chanwoo’s Non-Existence. If he had, he would have tipped off Han Shin. Third, Han Shin knew nothing.  He had no idea that Park Chanwoo had stolen the Bloodline Elixir and slain the Guardian.Not even a hint of suspicion.

‘God, I’d love to kill him right now…’

He almost scowled. Because his desire to end Han Shin was genuine. But Ahéta was behind him. The moment Han Shin died, Ahéta would come for revenge.

‘And Ahéta is the worst of all the gods.’

Cruel and vicious beyond measure. She toyed with her enemies. She destroyed their honor, humiliated them, and inflicted pain worse than death, until they begged him to kill them. Only then would she turn them into liches, enslaving them for eternity. Among all divine beings, Ahéta was the most twisted. And she had personally chosen Han Shin.

‘He must adore that bastard.’

For now, killing Han Shin wasn’t an option. But that was fine. He just needed to become strong enough that Han Shin couldn’t even dream of touching him. If he could reach a level where he didn’t have to care about him anymore, or if he could ruin Ahéta in the Night Abyss, that day would be Han Shin’s funeral. Park Chanwoo checked his remaining buff time and smiled. His original goal in the Guardian Abyss had been to hunt a Guardian. But now that he had, his objective had changed. Something greater. Something grander.

‘I’ll clear every dungeon in Korea.’

* * *

At the moment the Guardian Abyss was cleared, South Korea’s total score reached 2,200 points.

“Doesn’t that mean we actually have a shot?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s only been a day, right?”

“Easier than I thought?”

Four days since the Abyss began. For the first time, people’s faces showed a hint of relief after initially being thrown into chaos by the sudden appearance of dungeons. If they could just earn 2,800 more points in the next three days, South Korea would be safe. They believed it would be easily achieved as long as the strong took the lead.

24 hours later.

People realized something was wrong.

“What? It’s still only 2,700 points?”

“A whole day has passed, and we’ve only gained 500 points?”

“What’s going on?”

The points weren’t increasing. Even when they did, it was only by a small margin. People had been complacent, firmly believing that someone else would clear the dungeons. No one moved. Of course, there was another major reason behind this. The leaders, the ones meant to guide the people, had disappeared. For example, Yoo Han-seop of the “Dawn Fellowship,” who had been the first to take initiative and form a group, was dead. The War of Avatars that took place in the Abyss of Reception had resulted in the deaths of many “capable” Avatars, and the survivors had no desire to step forward. Above all, Han Shin was silent.

A society where no one takes the lead. Without dungeon challengers, all that awaited South Korea was the Invasion Abyss engulfing the entire nation. The mere 500 points gained in a day were all thanks to Lee Hyuk-soo.

“It’s already day three…”

“44 hours left.”

“Somebody, do something!”

People started blaming each other. Everyone was too busy watching and hesitating. Then, when there were 40 hours left, a new message appeared before their eyes.

『Ding-dong~♬』

『40 hours remaining!』

『Current points earned by South Korea: 3,000 points.』

『In 40 hours, the ‘Invasion Abyss’ will open across South Korea.』

『Estimated death toll: 1,755,000 people.』

『Margin of error: ±5%.』

『Once the ‘Invasion Abyss’ begins, there will be nowhere to hide.』

『Whether in the deep sea, underground, or high in the sky, the monsters will hunt you down and slaughter you.』

『Additionally, leaving the territory will be impossible until the ‘Invasion Abyss’ ends.』

『There is only one way to survive.』

『Clear dungeons and reach 5,000 points!』

The message, as if urging the hesitant people forward, instilled both advice and fear. In the end, it was the military that took action first. Large-scale troops led the charge in clearing dungeons.

『20 hours remaining!』

『Current points earned by South Korea: 3,700 points.』

But it wasn’t enough. Reaching 5,000 points in the remaining time seemed impossible. After all, clearing dungeons wasn’t something that could be accomplished simply by throwing in numbers. What was the point of firing bullets at monsters that were immune to conventional weapons? Abyssal monsters could only be slain with weapons obtained from the Abyss.

『10 hours remaining!』

『Current points earned by South Korea: 4,300 points.』

The rate of point accumulation slowed as time passed. Even those who had been fighting from the start were beginning to tire.

“Ah…”

“What are you hesitating for? Get in! Just go in!”

“If this keeps up, we’re all dead!”

People were growing desperate.

“Easy for you to say! Then why don’t you go in yourself?”

“The soldiers failed, how are we, ordinary civilians, supposed to do it?”

As more people resorted to forceful tactics, others started resisting. Both in reality and online, on SNS and in the news, heated debates resembling an all-out war erupted. Meanwhile—

‘…I can’t move anymore.’

Inside a dungeon, Lee Hyuk-soo struggled to lift his exhausted body. For three days straight, he had been silently clearing dungeons, Without a single moment of rest. Driven only by the desperate desire to protect his mother, he kept slashing down monsters. But even he needed rest. If he didn’t, his body would break. Though he had personally earned over 800 points, this was his limit. The moment he forced himself to stand, he collapsed back to the ground. His legs had given out. Lee Hyuk-soo bit his lip. By now, he had reached level 11. Even after undergoing first awakening and surpassing the level cap, clearing dungeons non-stop for three days without sleep had taken its toll.

‘Is this the end?’

“Hoo…”

As he let out a deep breath—

『Ding!』

『Push harder! At this rate, reaching 5,000 points is impossible.』

『Success probability: Less than 1%.』

『To boost your morale, the Creators have made a special offer.』

『Fever Time!』

『Dungeon clear rewards will be doubled. Dungeon entry will be easier.  The ‘Demon Merchant’ will appear!』

『The ‘Demon Merchant’ is a being that sells Abyssal items in exchange for various ‘values’ as currency.』

『However, in return, 20% of all humans who have never entered a dungeon will be randomly forced into a ‘Random Dungeon.’』

『Do you accept this offer?』

『If the majority agrees, ‘Fever Time’ will be activated.』

……

…….

『Congratulations.』

『76.1% have agreed!』