Chapter 34

Chapter 34.

 

If it was Unfathomable in The Void,

Then by upper-floor standards, its difficulty was comparable to Extreme grade.

On top of that, its scale was normal.

They could not challenge it with only five people like before.

So Ha-kyung asked a question.

“We will need at least thirty people. No, probably around forty.”

“Since it is The Void, that would be necessary.”

“And yet you are proposing this to me anyway…… That must mean the preparations are more or less complete.”

“Ha ha! As expected, your insight is remarkable. I have requested skilled people from several guilds.”

“Shouldn’t qualifying to enter come first?”

“That is why I discussed that as well, but it does not seem easy.”

The final boss of the Tower of Judgment.

Mirror Shade.

It learned the movements of the last person who cleared it.

Ha-kyung’s shadow was in a situation where it was kicking the ladder away from everyone else.

However, the Great Sage wore a meaningful smile.

“So I found a new method.”

“Yes?”

“The Tower of Judgment is not the only way to obtain access to The Void.”

“Oh, that is a relief. How does it work?”

“There are places throughout the Abyss called Spires of Reversal. You can prove your qualifications there as well.”

The Great Sage had distributed the detailed locations to their acquaintances.

With this, they would be able to lead a raid party into The Void as well.

Ha-kyung nodded.

“I understand. Let me know when the schedule is decided.”

“It probably will not take long. Let us speak by phone soon.”

“Yes.”

Ha-kyung returned to his private training ground and began practicing Wall-Walking Steps.

He had to get used to it in advance if he wanted to use it well in battle.

Once he had grown somewhat familiar with the skill,

He took John with him and passed through an Abyss Gate.

It was to obtain access to The Void in advance.

But when they reached the Tower of Judgment, an unexpected scene unfolded.

Awakened people had set up tents near the tower and were waiting there.

There was even a line at the entrance.

Ha-kyung asked one of them a question.

“What is everyone doing here?”

“Judging by your appearance, you do not look like a beginner…… Do you not know how this place has changed?”

“Wasn’t the Tower of Judgment a place no one visited? The rewards are poor, and the difficulty is pointlessly high.”

“Ah, you really do not know. This is the sacred site that the famous Immortal Tyrant passed through. If you reach the top floor, you can fight his shadow.”

“Yes? Why would anyone go out of their way to do that?”

“It is a kind of fan devotion, and also a challenger’s spirit. If you defeat the Immortal Tyrant’s remnant, you gain enormous fame.”

“…….”

Ha-kyung was at a loss for words.

He had not expected this result at all.

With no other choice, he tried to turn away.

‘Even if it is troublesome, finding a Spire of Reversal would be better.’

If not for the Great Sage, he might have ended up in trouble.

Then the Awakened people near the tents spoke to Ha-kyung.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“Are you Lee Ha-kyung, by any chance?”

The person he had just been talking to had not recognized him at all.

But an unexpected person did.

Thinking it was probably nothing serious, Ha-kyung nodded.

“Yes, that is right.”

“Uwooooh! I-Immortal Tyrant? Could you please give me an autograph?”

“I am not that remarkable.”

“I saw the article saying you donated 50 billion won for your fallen teammates. And you still say you are not remarkable?”

“That is completely different from the truth……”

Ha-kyung tried to explain, but the Awakened people were not listening.

They simply rushed toward him in a crowd.

Before long, even the people who had been standing in line in front of the Tower of Judgment came over.

“It really is Lee Ha-kyung?”

“The Immortal Tyrant has visited the sacred site!”

“Wow! Wow! Wow!”

Ha-kyung could not hide his bewilderment.

He had never imagined that the terrified tabloid reporter’s excessive praise would have this kind of effect.

He felt a much greater sense of danger than when he had been surrounded by a horde of monsters.

But he could not just shake them off and run away.

Then John, who was standing beside him, had a peculiar expression on his face.

Ha-kyung quietly asked him,

“What are you thinking?”

“Am I, a man raised with precious care, allowed to witness something like this? Something like that.”

“Yes?”

“Awakened people should be killing monsters in the Abyss. What are they doing, acting like a fan club?”

“Uh……”

He was not exactly wrong.

At that, the Awakened people who had gathered began to fidget awkwardly.

It seemed John’s blunt statement had struck them cleanly.

“Wh-what? How could he say something so harsh?”

“I feel offended, but do we have to let it slide because he is a foreigner?”

“What kind of logic is that?”

While everyone was flustered,

Ha-kyung did not miss the opening and quickly offered a greeting.

“You must all be busy, but I have taken up too much of your time. I will be going now.”

Then he grabbed John’s shoulder and began running like mad.

Soon, Ha-kyung managed to escape the area near the Tower of Judgment.

Once they caught their breath, John shrugged and said,

“Oh! I have seen this scene in a K-drama. A lovers’ escape! That is what it is, right?”

“Yes?”

“No, wait. If it was two men, it would normally be in an American drama.”

“…….”

It seemed there were many moments today that left him speechless.

Ha-kyung shook his head and headed toward the Spire of Reversal.

***

A few days later,

Ha-kyung gathered his acquaintances and joined the Great Sage’s raid team.

In truth, he had only brought two Awakened people with him.

Ma Do-hyuk and John were all.

By contrast, the Great Sage had recruited truly outstanding people.

“It has been a while, Mr. Lee Ha-kyung.”

The person who suddenly greeted him was the master of the Black Water Guild.

Diamond Wall, Yoon Chang-ho.

Ha-kyung could not help but look bewildered.

Even so, he greeted him first.

“Hello. But what brings you here?”

“I received an invitation from the Great Sage. At first, even I was not sure what to make of it. After all, they are someone who only drifts around on the outside.”

The Great Sage did not maintain friendships with the Four Great Guilds or major organizations.

Their reason was that they disliked the behavior of those with power.

Was that not why Kang Woo-jin’s reaction had been so intense?

Yet this time, they had joined hands with Black Water.

It was quite unexpected.

Soon, the Great Sage approached and smiled.

“This is all because of your influence, Mr. Ha-kyung.”

“Because of me?”

“It is thanks to everything I felt in the Abyss of Infestation. I was able to cast off some of the arrogance in my heart.”

The one who had swept away the countless Brood Eaters was Ha-kyung.

The final boss had also been defeated by him.

In truth, it was practically the same as him clearing the dungeon alone.

Of course, the team members had played their roles as well.

But it seemed the Great Sage did not think that was enough.

While they were talking,

A familiar person suddenly poked his head out.

“Has everyone been well?”

He was tall like John, with a lean build.

A wild man with sharp eyes.

It was Ma Do-hyuk, the Abyss Beast.

“Ah, yes. Good to see you.”

Ha-kyung greeted him reflexively, then tilted his head.

The composition of the group felt far too familiar.

‘This feels like my acquaintances have all been gathered together.’

It was as if every Awakened person in the raid team had gathered around Ha-kyung.

When he looked around with curious eyes, the Great Sage smiled.

“What you are thinking is probably correct.”

“Did you really only gather people related to me?”

“That was not exactly my intention. But as I contacted only those who possessed both skill and character, it ended up this way.”

This raid team was very similar to the one Ha-kyung had envisioned.

When he challenged the Ultimate Abyss someday,

These were exactly the kind of teammates he wanted to bring.

In truth, would that not be the same for anyone?

He could not entrust his back to people with terrible reputations like the Raiders.

Ha-kyung smiled faintly.

‘I can treat this as a rehearsal.’

This raid would probably hold great meaning for him.

Soon, once the preparations were complete, the raid team passed through the gate.

After moving to the abyssal pit,

They threw themselves into the pond standing upright at ninety degrees.

When they passed through the short wormhole, the team members’ faces turned pale.

Anyone who experienced The Void for the first time had no choice but to react that way.

After all, the concentration of abyss energy underlying the place itself was different.

Even Yoon Chang-ho, who was counted among the highest-ranking Awakened, clicked his tongue.

“This pressure is incredible. How are we supposed to fight in a place like this?”

“You will adapt as you move around. It is only painful at first.”

“No matter how I think about it, this does not feel like only a little painful.”

Despite Ha-kyung’s advice, Yoon Chang-ho shook his head.

Of course, since everyone was a veteran, they quickly shook off the pressure.

However, they could not let go of their tension.

That was how terrifying The Void was.

―They are coming! Maintain formation!

At the Great Sage’s voice, everyone gripped their weapons.

The monster horde that welcomed the raid team at the entrance of The Void, Ha-kyung knew them well too.

After all, he had once killed dozens of them with Ma Do-hyuk.

However, today, they seemed to have come fully prepared.

The number of Split Reapers was staggering.

At a glance, an offensive of more than five hundred had unfolded.

But the Split Reaper horde could not break through the raid team.

THUD-THUD-THUD! CRUNCH! THUD!

“We have stopped the initial charge. Counterattack as you are!”

The tanks formed a solid line.

And right behind them, the melee damage dealers sliced through the Split Reapers.

From the back, ranged attacks of tremendous firepower poured down as well.

THUD-THUD! BOOM!

“Kieeeek!”

The Split Reapers were torn apart helplessly.

The Great Sage’s forty-person raid team was the elite among elites.

Unlike in the Abyss of Infestation, it was not a team chosen solely by the Great Sage’s judgment.

They were top-class Awakened people anyone would acknowledge.

They were on a level similar to Kang Woo-jin’s raid party.

Because of that, they were able to withstand even a horde of monsters from The Void.

The bloody battle continued for quite some time.

Only when the Awakened people’s stamina reached its limit

Did the Split Reaper horde finally retreat.

Yoon Chang-ho, who had been commanding the front line, breathed heavily.

“Haaah! Hah! How can ordinary monsters wandering around on the roadside be this……”

“They were almost on the same level as those Extreme-grade Schism Wretches. John is exhausted as hell.”

Even John, who was always dependable, voiced his fatigue.

Of course, Yoon Chang-ho, standing beside him, could not hide his baffled expression.

He seemed startled by John’s bootleg Korean patch.

Ha-kyung quickly tried to explain.

“His Korean is a little awkward. Please understand.”

“Ah, of course……”

Yoon Chang-ho readily nodded.

However, John did not seem willing to quietly listen.

“My Korean is very good, bro. Kang Woo-jin said so too. He said I would live a long time because I have no manners.”

Ha-kyung and Yoon Chang-ho both pressed their hands to their foreheads at the same time.

It seemed Kang Woo-jin had simply given up as well.

There was no way to stop John’s choice of words.

In any case, the situation was resolved well.

―We will collect the loot and rest briefly before moving on.

Ha-kyung participated in the butchering work.

Split Reaper teeth sold for a fairly high price.

After that, the raid team rested and resumed moving.

Then a familiar creature entered his sight.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

A giant dragging both club-like arms as it moved.

It was an Obsidian Titan.

The Great Sage pointed at it and said,

“While coming and going through The Void, that one caused me quite a bit of trouble. That is why I put so much effort into establishing an infiltration route.”

“Ah, so that is how we managed to reach this point without being caught by it.”

“That is right. It would be good for all of you to remember this as well. Unless you specifically intend to hunt down an Obsidian Titan.”

At the Great Sage’s words, everyone nodded.

Of course, as time passed, this route would also become useless.

The Void, like the upper floors, often changed completely.

Even so, for the time being, it would be useful information.

After they moved for quite a long time, the system message they had been waiting for appeared.

[You have encountered Frost Bishop, a field boss of The Void]

[The deathly cold constricts your entire body]

The moment he faced it,

Ha-kyung felt as if he were freezing down to his bones.

‘Th-this feeling is……?’