HBWnovel Chapter 246: Fourth Return, Earth (13)
Chapter 246: Fourth Return, Earth (13)
Chapter 246: Fourth Return, Earth (13)
When people gathered in Seoul to elect a leader, the conference room was filled once again.
There was a gathering there again.
“Where is Sayeong?”
“He’s dead.”
“Ah...
Their numbers had dwindled since the beginning. They closed their eyes momentarily to pray for the souls of the departed.
“Then, Mr. Taesan.”
After a moment of silence, Kim Hwiyeon addressed Taesan.
“Can we hear a rough story of what happened?”
“I came here specifically to explain.”
Taesan began his account.
He detailed how the High Gods attempted to capture and kill him. In that ordeal, Taesan emerged victorious.
And with his victory, the conditions were met, and a god descended.
At the mention of a god, the people reacted with disbelief and shock.
“A god...”
“Is it the kind of god we’re thinking of? Like, Jesus Christ?”
“No. It’s different.”
Taesan shook his head. In his experience, the concept of a monotheistic god was absent. Each was once mortal who had become transcendent, each possessed varying levels of power, and they all maintained reasonably good relations with one another.
They were not adversaries. Instead, it was more accurate to view them as allies united against a common foe, the high gods.
As Taesan succinctly explained, the people were enthralled.
“So, it’s that kind of concept...”
“The labyrinth was also created by their power... This is really profound.”
“It doesn’t really matter.”
Taesan spoke up.
“What’s important is that we survive and prevail.”
At those words, a spark of determination lit up in people’s eyes.
“That’s right.”
“Yeah. Winning is what matters most.”
From the moment they found themselves trapped in the labyrinth, they had anticipated interference from transcendental beings. As Taesan pointed out, their survival was the paramount concern.
“Did everyone receive their rewards?”
“Yes.” Hwiyeon confirmed.
The Blessing of the God of Despair. It awakened the mind when one was plunged into despair.
Everyone present was at least a Hard Mode player. They understood the significant advantage this represented.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Taesan.”
“That’s fine. You all managed well too. Honestly, I thought more of you would die.”
Half of them had survived.
It was a significant loss, but considering the circumstances, it was relatively small. Kim Hwiyeon bit her lip.
“Everyone tried their best. Literally risking their lives.”
That sacrifice could not be in vain.
They had to survive. For themselves and for those who didn’t make it.
They slowly checked for any changes.
“So the first change is...”
“Can we now obtain skills on Earth too?”
Seo Jangsan asked.
“Is it confirmed?”
“Yeah. Some people got skills while eliminating the rifts. All of them could now use the skills they acquired.”
“Is that for real? Now we can learn skills here too...”
Seo Jangsan was captivated. Being able to learn skills on Earth was a huge advantage.
Survival on Earth was not easy. Even those who had been through hell in the labyrinth had to risk their lives.
And skills were more likely to be acquired in extreme situations.
That meant, on Earth, there were not a few cases where people learned skills while clearing quests.
Until now, they had to seal the skills until they returned to the labyrinth, but now they could use them immediately upon learning them. It might not seem like a big change right now, but it would definitely be a significant advantage in the long term.
“That’s good. The next change has been confirmed too.”
Kim Hwiyeon took out a red potion from her inventory and tossed it to Lee Taeyeon, who skillfully caught it.
Lee Taeyeon made a strange face as she fiddled with the potion.
“It really transferred.”
The exchange of consumables. What was impossible until now had been unlocked.
Up until now, whenever they tried to pass potions, they would bounce off and return to the original owner.
But the potion, now handed to Lee Taeyeon, had changed ownership from Kim Hwiyeon to Lee Taeyeon. Lee Taeyeon then tossed the potion back to Kim Hwiyeon, who placed it in her inventory.
“Honestly, this is the best part.”
A smile formed on Kim Hwiyeon’s lips.
The exchange of consumables. Its value was incredibly significant.
Their faith in him grew even stronger.
As Taesan passed by, he noticed a familiar face.
“Mr. Taesan!”
A young man shouted passionately at Taesan.
Lee Changchun.
A Hard Mode player who had been beaten up by Taesan during the last return of his previous life.
‘He’s still alive.’
Taesan smirked and walked out to the city hall.
He looked up at the sky.
The cracks in the sky were calm, as if waiting for their next turn.
“What could it mean?”
[With this kind of power, they could approach you in different ways.]
Aphrodia had said that.
Its meaning was still unclear.
“So, are we going back to the labyrinth now?”
At Minerva’s words, Taesan nodded. She chuckled.
“There’s been quite a lot going on. I didn’t expect to meet a Transcendent directly, to fight with the High Gods... It was fun. I never thought I’d experience so much so soon after being born.”
Minerva continued with a satisfied expression.
“I don’t fully understand the power my master possesses, but it’s a power that my master directly controls. That’s enough for me.”
Minerva’s form flickered like TV noise.
The power required for her summoning was almost depleted, indicating she was about to be unsummoned.
“Will you be gone for a while then?”
“You’re only going to continue descending into the labyrinth, aren’t you? Not right away though, right? You have things to do, too?”
Minerva was the guardian of Arulia. She had to protect that world.
“Right. I’ll be away for a while.”
Minerva looked at Barkaza.
“Barkaza. Take good care of things even in my absence.”
[I am not only the king's servant but also yours. I must protect you.]
“I trust you. And you too, ghost.”
[What can a bodiless one protect?]
“Is that so?”
Minerva laughed. Her body began to fade along with some noise.
“Then, see you next time, master.”
[Minerva has been unsummoned.]
She disappeared.
Taesan spoke towards the void.
“See you.”
And then the time came.
[Monster Defeat Bonus +743]
[Rift Removal Bonus +587]
[Special Monster Kill Bonus +1245]
[Merit Bonus +255]
[Settlement Complete]
[2,830 points will be awarded.]
Taesan returned to the labyrinth.
The settled points were 2,800. It was not a small amount. There were considerable advantages to be gained with these points.
But Taesan opened the community instead.
[Kim Hwiyeon[Hard]: Oh, wow...] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Excuse me. Can you calm down for a moment?] [Adam Smith[Solo]: What. More alive than I thought? Thought everyone had died.] [Rachel Uchitel[Hard]: Um, please, slow down a bit. It’s too fast to have a conversation...] [Miyuki Kazuya[Normal]: Wow. People! So many!]
Messages in the community were being posted at a rapid pace. It was impossible to have a conversation.
Taesan was slightly surprised.
‘Much faster than before.’
It wasn’t slow in his past life, but now it was several times faster.
‘Did more survive in other countries than in my previous life?’
It seemed that the power of the High Gods was more concentrated on Taesan this time, giving the world more leeway than before.
Trying to read a conversation was futile due to the speed, so Taesan turned off the community.
He planned to talk once things calmed down a bit.
This time too, Taesan did not start using the points. There was something else he needed to check first.
[Boundary]
[Proficiency: ?]
[Between the divine and beyond divine. Something that draws forth the divine and the black.]
[??????]
[System error. Please consult the labyrinth administrator for details.]