Chapter: 04
“P-Player Seong Yujin?”
Didaskalia stammered as he called out Yujin’s name.
His face was filled with utter confusion.
But at this moment, he had absolutely no idea what had happened to Yujin.
He could tell that something had changed, but he couldn’t grasp exactly what or how.
Which was only natural.
The current Yujin had become an existence on a completely different level from the one just moments ago.
Didaskalia might have been one of the thirteen bastard administrators who managed the Tower, but he wasn’t capable of reading the power of someone who had once conquered the Tower alone.
“I really thought long and hard before making this decision.”
Whether Didaskalia spoke or not, Yujin completely ignored him and muttered calmly.
“To be honest, there were just too many situations where this would come in handy. I couldn’t even count them all.”
“…What in the world are you talking about, Player Seong Yujin?”
Naturally, Didaskalia couldn’t understand a word.
He didn’t even seem to know anything about the Flashback [S] skill Yujin had just used.
“I mean, think about it. As I climb the Tower, there are bound to be times when I get stuck or end up in dangerous situations. If I use it then, it’ll become the perfect solution to break through any obstacle. So of course I’d have to think carefully before using it.”
There were countless floors in the Tower known as hell zones.
Even Yujin had spent an enormous amount of time and effort clearing them during his first run.
He had nearly died more times than he could count.
If he used Flashback [S] in moments like those, it would practically be like activating a cheat code.
“But then this thought suddenly crossed my mind.”
At last, Yujin’s gaze met Didaskalia’s.
“What does the Akasha System love the most?”
It was an unexpected question.
However, as the Tutorial Floor’s administrator, Didaskalia was obligated to answer any question a player asked.
“…A-achievements.”
Seeing Yujin ask so confidently, as though he knew the Akasha System inside and out, only made Didaskalia even more confused.
“That’s right. Achievements. That’s the important part.”
The Akasha System rewarded virtually every action worthy of being called an achievement with extraordinary compensation.
The first.
The strongest.
The greatest.
The fastest.
And, most importantly…
“When you accomplish the impossible.”
A Level 1 player who had just been summoned to the Tower defeating the boss of the 90th Floor on the Tutorial Floor?
That was every bit as impossible as clearing the 100th Floor alone.
That monster had never been summoned to be defeated.
It had been brought here to slaughter rookie players.
“But let’s say… just hypothetically… what do you think would happen if I cut off that black lizard’s head right here?”
And what kind of reward would the Akasha System give to the player who achieved something so absurd?
Yujin doubted it would be any less than the reward he had received after defeating the Apocalypse and clearing the Tower during his first life.
Of course, this was a gamble.
But it was a gamble worth pushing every chip he had onto the table.
That was why he had used Flashback [S].
Neither in his first life…
Nor in his second…
Had any player or administrator ever imagined attempting such an unprecedented achievement.
“W-Who in the world are you?!”
Only now did Didaskalia realize what Yujin intended to do, shouting in panic.
“So the Akasha System still hasn’t told you?”
The corners of Yujin’s lips curled upward.
Then he declared proudly,
“I specifically asked it to tell you all that I am your apocalypse from now on.”
BOOOOOOM!
The instant he stomped the ground, the solid stone floor exploded beneath him.
Yujin shot into the air like a rocket.
In the blink of an eye, he stopped directly in front of the colossal head of Black Darkness.
“Hey. Long time no see.”
He grinned.
Has it been about three years?
“It was nice seeing you again… but let’s not meet after today. You’re dying here anyway.”
Craaaack!
Black Darkness opened its enormous jaws.
It intended to swallow Yujin whole for daring to spout such nonsense.
“Eyes down, asshole. Don’t get cocky.”
The ant-sized Yujin threw a punch.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
If someone struck a bell the size of a house, perhaps it would sound like this.
The unbelievable happened.
Black Darkness’s head snapped violently to the side from Yujin’s tiny fist.
An utterly impossible…
Utterly irrational sight.
Everyone watching stood there with their mouths hanging open.
Players and administrators alike.
“Now that’s satisfying.”
Smiling with satisfaction, Yujin landed atop the staggering dragon’s head.
Feeling him there, Black Darkness violently shook its head despite the pain.
Driven by instinct, it tried desperately to throw Yujin off.
An ordinary player wouldn’t even have been able to keep their footing.
They would have struggled just to avoid being flung away.
But Yujin was different.
As though glue covered the soles of his feet, he stood perfectly still atop the dragon’s skull without the slightest disturbance.
“It would’ve been nicer if I had a sword. Too bad for you.”
If Yujin had been holding a sword…
The dragon’s head would already have been cleanly severed.
But he didn’t even have a dagger.
So he’d simply have to beat it to death.
“There’s about seven minutes left until the ten-minute limit that bastard mentioned. If you’re still alive by then, I’ll let you live. So go ahead… try surviving.”
Among every skill Yujin had mastered in his first life…
The highest-ranked one.
The very skill that had ultimately torn the Apocalypse itself to pieces.
“Dragon Hunter [A].”
A technique originally meant to be unleashed through a sword…
Now manifested through Yujin’s fist.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Hundreds of punches every second.
Like a meteor shower crashing down from the heavens, Yujin’s fists rained endlessly upon Black Darkness’s head.
Each blow carried terrifying power.
Its scales ripped apart like paper.
Its skull shattered like glass.
How much time passed?
Yujin lightly kicked off the dragon’s collapsing head.
BOOOOOOM!!
The enormous body crashed to the ground.
A massive cloud of dust exploded upward.
“Ptooey! Seven minutes, my ass. You couldn’t even last one.”
Covered from head to toe in blood spraying from the dragon’s shattered skull, Yujin spat onto the ground as he stopped before Didaskalia.
“Hey. There’s still plenty of time left before the deadline you mentioned. If you’ve got anything else to summon, hurry up. Don’t waste my time.”
Flinch.
Didaskalia recoiled as though he had just seen a demon.
“You…”
Something was terribly wrong.
Seong Yujin was absolutely not an ordinary player.
As an administrator, he needed to take immediate action—
“What? Thinking about trying it yourself this time?”
Yujin’s eyes pierced straight into Didaskalia’s soul.
Madness?
Rage?
Ecstasy?
He couldn’t tell.
What emotions were hidden within those eyes?
Even Didaskalia, who had lived for countless ages, couldn’t decipher the chaotic storm swirling inside them.
“Well, I’d actually welcome that. But are you sure? Can you beat me?”
If administrators were measured by the Akasha System’s levels…
They would be around Level 300.
A realm no one but Yujin had ever reached during his first life.
Administrators were that powerful.
But by the time the world ended…
Yujin had reached Level 350.
And after killing the Apocalypse, he had gained so many additional levels that he couldn’t even determine how many.
Didaskalia?
Honestly…
Yujin was certain he could kill him in less than five minutes.
“…Of course not, Player Seong Yujin. Administrators generally avoid fighting players.”
Perhaps sensing that much instinctively, Didaskalia forced a sickening smile while raising both hands.
“Still, I am curious. Who exactly are you, Player Seong Yujin? How did you obtain such power? And why is the Akasha System hiding all information about you?”
Even now, he insisted on asking.
It seemed his instincts told him Yujin wouldn’t kill him.
Tch.
Yujin clicked his tongue inwardly.
He desperately wanted to kill the administrator.
Every last Tower administrator was a psychopathic lunatic.
How many players had died because of their twisted games?
Killing this one alone would save tens of thousands of lives.
But…
“Not now.”
Killing Didaskalia would be easier than flipping over the palm of his hand.
But then what?
Another administrator would inevitably come to punish the one who dared murder an administrator.
And once Flashback [S] expired…
Yujin wouldn’t stand a chance.
It would be a dead end.
“What would you even do if you knew? If you’re so curious, ask the Akasha System yourself.”
He was certain it wouldn’t answer.
If it intended to reveal his identity, it never would have hidden him from the administrators in the first place.
Instead…
The Akasha System had concealed Yujin’s information while even blinding the administrators to it.
It almost felt as though the System was protecting him.
Though he still had no idea why.
“I’ll investigate that matter myself, Player Seong Yujin.”
Didaskalia still hadn’t recovered from his shock and confusion, but he answered as calmly as he could.
He probably didn’t want to lose his dignity in front of the players.
To Yujin…
It looked utterly pathetic.
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
Yujin deliberately shook his hands, splattering Black Darkness’s blood onto Didaskalia.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Didaskalia stepped back with a disgusted expression.
“So what? If you’ve got a problem with it, come at me.”
Yujin chuckled before turning around.
“Coward. Anyway, I’ve still got something to finish.”
Ignoring Didaskalia, who looked like he wanted to say more, Yujin leaped downward.
Whoooooosh!
His destination…
The head of Black Darkness, which was still stubbornly clinging to life even while its brain matter leaked out.
Crunch!
As Yujin stomped on its neck, the sound of its spine snapping echoed loudly.
It was the mighty boss of the 90th Floor.
Yet before Yujin…
It was as fragile as thin ice.
Something that would shatter with the slightest pressure.
“You used to give me such a hard time.”
Back then…
It had taken him nearly half a month of risking his life to kill this monster.
Even then, he had barely survived by decapitating it just before dying himself.
Remembering those days, Yujin’s expression hardened.
“Don’t feel too wronged. Even if this hadn’t happened here, you were destined to die anyway.”
On the 90th Floor…
By Yujin’s hands.
Hummmmmm—
Once again…
Dragon Hunter [A] activated.
Mana, known as the natural enemy of dragonkind, wrapped around his hand before spinning violently like a vortex.
“Just think of it as dying a little earlier.”
Even while gasping for breath, Black Darkness continued releasing murderous killing intent.
Yujin’s hand plunged straight into its head.
Its torn scales and shattered skull couldn’t stop him.
Thud!
As easily as cutting tofu…
His hand reduced the dragon’s brain to mush.
At that very moment—
■ You have defeated the Calamity-Class Boss, Black Darkness.
■ Level Up ■ Level Up ■ Level Up
■ Level Up ■ Level Up ■ Level Up
■ Achievement Unlocked: Strongest Rookie
■ Achievement Unlocked: Nothing Is Impossible for Me
■ Achievement Reward: Trait Body Blessed by a God [S] has been granted.
“…Hell yes!”
The gamble had paid off.
And not just paid off…
He had hit the jackpot.
