Kyaaa!

“You…You…”

“Let me out! Let me out!”

“Hukhukhuk, I’m hungry. Hungry! Hungry!”

The screams from the Ten Thousand Weaponry storage room could send chills down anyone’s back.

“As you can see, this all happened because of my horrible disciple.” After the Adamantine Nova disappeared, Anastasia had to use different barriers and spells to stop the weapons and artifacts from running wild, but there were limits to what she could do. Without the Adamantine Nova, the restraints on the room were weaker, and Anastasia had been so preoccupied by Victoria that she hadn’t been able to focus on the room.

Victoria looked away, too ashamed to say anything. Kahn and Doyle knew they were the cause of the problem and looked at the storage room with serious faces. Kahn could use Bian, and Doyle could use demonic energy, and like most rankers, they were sensitive enough to understand how bad the situation was inside the storage room.

There was something big inside; the evil intent of the weapons and artifacts had leaked out and merged, awakening their identities. If this was left unchecked, a terrifying monster would be created.

Anastasia could easily rip a monster apart as long as it wasn’t a superior one, but Victoria knew that it took a huge toll on Anastasia to manifest her true body. This was why her teacher had been apart from the world for a thousand years. Returning to heaven was something that always complicated things for her.

“And you’ll take care of this? How?” Anastasia squinted at Yeon-woo as if telling him to stop spouting nonsense.

He had been looking at the storage room impassively and said, “I can take care of this, but please just answer this question first: if I solve this problem for you, will you give me the Adamantine Nova? I’ll pay you the full price.”

That morning, Yeon-woo had gone to see Anastasia with all kinds of questions about the Adamantine Nova and what she would do with it if she no longer needed it. Victoria had spoken about it the night before. After learning that Kahn and Doyle were planning to accompany Yeon-woo to Tartarus, she said she wanted to go, as well.

When she heard they needed to create an Adamantine Nova before they headed into Tartarus, she said that they ought to make a deal with Anastasia. If they managed to handle Anastasia’s problem, then she might agree to let them have the Adamantine Nova.

As Victoria predicted, Anastasia accepted the deal, although mostly because she wanted to laugh at them when they inevitably failed. “All right. Try as much as you like. If you succeed, then I don’t have any reason to keep the Adamantine Nova. In fact, since you’re taking care of a big problem for me, I’ll even call you ‘oraboni’ to sweeten the deal. How does that sound?”

Yeon-woo’s eyes curved behind the mask. “Don’t forget what you’ve just said.”

“Hmph!”

Yeon-woo stepped into the storage room, and an enormous amount of monstrous energy pressed down on his shoulders. It was a power that could make anyone bend.

[The power ‘Combat Instinct’ has been activated.]

The power activated and scattered the monstrous energy trying to surround him.

[Combat Instinct]

[Rank: Power]

[Proficiency: 2.5%]

[Description: A power that a god of , Ares, has gifted you. Ares has been keeping an eye on your grit and determination during battles with numerous enemies. Because of his sister, Athena, he satisfied himself with only observing you, but now he has been impressed by your accomplishment of slaughtering your enemies on your own.

He regrets that he didn’t find you before his sister did. He has given you an incredible power in the hopes that you will become his Apostle.]

[*Indomitable Spirit

The greater the pressure from your enemy, the more you’ll feel at ease and the tougher your will to win will grow. The consumption of your health will increase, but your offensive power will also be amplified. The effect grows stronger the longer the power is activated.]

[*Soul Extortion

Your undefeatable spirit will discourage your enemies. With this, you will be able to take some health from them.]

[The Channel with Ares is weak, so many of the power’s effects are not available.]

[The effect of the monstrous energy is being offset.]

[You have absorbed part of the monstrous energy and increased your attack power.]

He couldn’t activate the power to its maximum because if he did, all 900 of the other powers would activate as well. However, because they were already registered in his skill window, he could use some of them.

[Ares shouts at you and asks what you’re doing. He demands that you open the Channel again.]

[Athena, who has been watching quietly, reprimands him.]

[Ares flinches and steps back. He explains that that wasn’t what he meant.]

[Ares licks his lips and expresses regret.]

[Apollo, who has been watching the two, bursts into laughter. He shows interest in you.]

[Artemis looks at you strangely.]

Yeon-woo cut his left wrist with his Magic Bayonet and let the black-colored blood, which was combined with Disabling Poison Blood and another power, spray in the air.

[The power ‘Hogubyeolseong’ has been activated.]

[Hogubyeolseong]

[Rank: Power]

[Proficiency: 5.2%]

[Description: A power that a god of , Nergal, has gifted you. Nergal likes your technique of using Guai with poison to kill enemies. However, he felt that your method of using poison is lacking, so he gave you this power in the hopes of improving it.]

[*Epidemic God

The power to create different epidemics has been given to you. The range and effects of the epidemic will expand along with your proficiency. The more enemies you infect, the stronger the epidemic becomes.]

[*Thousand Killings

True death doesn’t discriminate between the living and the undead. The same effects will appear on those without physical bodies.]

[The Channel with Nergal is weak, so many of the power’s effects are not available.]

[The effects of the power are being added to your Guai.]

His shadow split into hundreds of fragments that stood above the ground. There were more Guai than ever before, and after they received the Hogubyeolseong, they quickly swarmed through the Ten Thousand Weaponry storage room.

The poison wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been, but the option to affect spiritual bodies was a big help.

“What are these…?!”

“Go away! Go away!”

“Aaaack!”

The storage room full of evil intent quickly filled with screams.

[The Guai ‘Hun’ has gotten rid of the artifact ‘Tatasha’s Sword’. It absorbs its power.]

[The Guai ‘So’ has crushed the ‘Helm of a Forgotten Warrior’. It absorbs its power.]

[The Monster Portant ‘Kkang’ has swallowed the artifact ‘Akam’s Book’. It absorbs its power.]

……

“What is…?!” Anastasia’s eyes widened at the unbelievable situation. The weapons and artifacts she had restrained for centuries were being broken by mere shadow monsters even though the monsters and creatures inside them were at least as strong as the Guai.

They were being roundly defeated, and not because they had sealed up for so long. They looked terrified, and she realized what it was.

[Boo (Witchdoctor’s Soul) looks down at the monsters and creatures.]

[The monsters freeze.]

[The creatures squirm to escape the horror.]

“What is that?”

Inferno Sight activated inside the storage room. When she realized what it was, Anastasia frowned. It was something that already made her uncomfortable, and it was obvious how much worse it would be for regular monsters and creatures. ‘Who is this guy?’ Anastasia turned to look at Yeon-woo. She had no clue what kind of being Yeon-woo was.

“Stop acting out. You’re only Rhea’s pet. That’s enough of your little tricks.” There was that strange being that lived in the abyss within Yeon-woo’s eyes, the Lich that scared monsters and creatures, and the Guai whom she couldn’t figure out. Yeon-woo, who ruled over all of them, was the strangest being she had seen in a thousand years.

Meanwhile, the Guai crushed the weapons and artifacts and reached the center of the room where a large monster with self-awareness waited. Yeon-woo released Shanon and Hanryeong as well. Their power had increased thanks to the influence of the powers of the gods of war, and they managed to take down the large monster quickly.

“Aaargh!” The large monster screamed as it became little more than a tasty treat for the Guai. Shanon and Hanryeong were also able to enjoy a feast for the first time in a while.

The dark storage room gew quiet. Kahn, Doyle, and Victoria all clucked their tongues. Yeon-woo had grown stronger since fighting the Head Bishop; they couldn’t believe the rate at which he was growing.

Yeon-woo recalled his subordinates back into his shadow and looked at Anastasia. She sighed. It was nice that the weapons and artifacts had been dealt with, but she felt like everything she had done so far had been in vain. “It was annoying anyway. Just take it.”

But Yeon-woo shook his head even after he accepted the Adamantine Nova, as though he weren’t satisfied. Anastasia’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“You forgot the last part,” Yeon-woo said impassively.

“What…?”

“You said you would call me ‘oraboni’.”

Her face stiffened as she remembered what she’d said. “That was just a joke…!”

“I guess you’re a person who breaks promises easily.”

Anastasia was speechless.

“Anastasia?”

The hand holding her pipe trembled, and her face was red with humiliation. She could refuse, but she was a great monster about to exuviate, and breaking a promise like that could have a detrimental effect on the growth of her level. Also, she wasn’t the kind of person who could break a promise that she’d made in front of so many people. “Ora…boni…” She had no choice but to say it.

“I couldn’t hear it clearly, but I guess we can stop here.”

Crack! The pipe in Anastasia’s hand split in two.

* * *

[The Guai ‘Baek’ has reached its limits. It is transforming into a new being.]

[The Guai ‘Yung’ has reached its limits. It is preparing for exuviation.]

……

[All Guai are transforming. You cannot command them to do anything while the transformation is in progress.]

[Please avoid any external shocks. If the transformations fail, the Guai might disappear for good.]

The Guai were becoming superior beings after swallowing all the weapons and artifacts. Yeon-woo was proud to see about a hundred Guai grow at the same time. While Boo protected his shadow, he constantly supplied nutrients so the transformation would go smoothly.

[You have gained the final material, ‘Adamantine Nova’.]

[You have successfully cleared the first condition of the subquest (Helm of Darkness).]

[Please begin with the second condition, the ‘creation of Kynee’.]

When ownership of the Adamantina Nova was transferred, a message advising him to start the creation process appeared.

“I don’t like you,” Anastasia said suddenly. Yeon-woo just stared at her, and she frowned as she remembered her promise. She could see Kahn, Doyle, and Victoria giggling from a distance, and she felt like her insides were boiling. She disliked the steady eyes behind the mask the most, and she wanted to manifest into her true body and tear his shameless face into shreds. “I…don’t like oraboni…Ugh. Fuck! How long do I have to do this? Sheesh! I don’t like it! I hate it!”

Her glare was filled with humiliation and murderous intent. “At first, you were the cause of my inadequate disciple’s pain, and then, you nagged me about the Adamantine Nova. You continued to bother my disciple…and now, you’re taking her away again just when I thought she had finally come back home.”

Yeon-woo could understand how Anastasia felt. However, he didn’t try to appease her. Resentment didn’t disappear that easily.

“I’ll be watching you.” Anastasia walked away. The beautiful children who were waiting for her followed. She paused in front of Victoria and hit her with the broken pipe. Victoria screamed, and somewhat satisfied, Anastasia left with a “hmph” and returned to her home.

Victoria rubbed the fist-sized bump that was sprouting on her head. Kahn smiled wryly and treated her with Bian. Doyle shook his head and quietly stood by Yeon-woo’s side. “Hyung, what are you going to do now? Head over to Tartarus right away?”

“No. I’m going to gather some people first.”

“People?”

“Since we have to make Kynee. I should find some skilled artisans first.”

The three Cyclops brothers would be there, but it would be difficult for Yeon-woo to create the Kynee, a great artifact, by himself. They were also pressed for time. He needed help. ‘The people who participated in the completion of the Philosopher’s Stone should be enough.’

Thankfully, one of the top five artisans, Victoria, had already joined them, and Brahm said that he would gladly help Yeon-woo after hearing the news. Ananta’s condition had improved, and he had time to leave for a bit. However, Yeon-woo wanted to add one more person. ‘Henova.’

No player could match his skill in smithing, but Yeon-woo was worried. ‘I haven’t gone to see him for a while.’ He was concerned that a hammer would come flying towards him as soon as he showed his face. ‘How should I tease him this time?’ Yeon-woo’s concerns were different from most people’s.

Yeon-woo’s hand trembled slightly with nervousness as he adjusted his mask.