Chapter 41

······A gap more than double.

How he did it, what he obtained, it was a mystery that couldn't even be grasped.

‘Phantom.’

Phantom······

The king who was once called the pinnacle of Panginea but has now fallen.

After losing everything and falling, he is now thrashing about.

“What will you do?”

The Master stood up from his seat and looked out the window.

The tallest building on Wall Street.

Because its owner had just changed.

‘This world is divided into those who rule and those who are ruled.’

Step by step, the Master was becoming the true king.

The power of a different dimension, which only the chosen ones can possess. It was only natural that the one at the peak of that power would stand at the peak of this world.

‘I am the ruler. And the world from now on will be ruled by those with ability.’

The world will change.

In a completely different way from previous changes.

The players who can handle Panginea's monsters will become the masters of Earth.

The beginning.

Everything should have been perfect at this moment, but the Master was tasting the worst feeling.

The main quest 5's advantage being one step behind was quite fatal.

‘What should I do.’

However, Phantom is already a fallen king.

Although his achievement of destroying half of the demon world is recognized, the top players, including the Master, do not fear the Demon King.

On the contrary, they are using the demon world and the Demon King to secure their positions in Panginea and plan to become the kings of Earth.

Most importantly, Phantom is dead.

If he became a player after dying, there is a limit to how strong he can become.

Moreover, Phantom was also known for having no power base, so how could he catch up to the gap with us?

‘I tried to capture him alive and extract information.’

The Master tried to capture the fallen king alive and extract the information he knew.

However, even after searching for several years, he could not be captured.

A statement that the Master's power alone had its limits.

“······ I need to convene the ‘Round Table Conference.’”

“I will contact the 8 Heroes, Master.”

The shadow disappeared.

The Master slowly looked out the window.

‘It’s starting to bother me.’

It’s starting to bother me.

The actions of the fallen king.

So it seems necessary to correct them.

*

《There are no more rewards to be obtained from the tower.》

《The tower's reward list has been replaced by the rewards of the seats of the city.》

《You can choose one reward from 100 options.》

The first sentence meant that the best mystery obtainable from the tower had been obtained, and there was no replacement reward.

‘Replacement of rewards?’

But the next content made him tilt his head.

Replaced by the reward list of the seats?

However, when the list that soon appeared was seen, it was naturally understood.

《The Hourglass of the Clockwork Seat》

《The Ring of the Adventure Seat》

《The Four-Leaf Clover of the Fortune Seat》

《The Spear of the Battle Seat》

《The Armor of the Lunar Seat》

《The Invention of the Alchemy Seat》

《The Hair of the Nameless Seat》

《The Weapon Polish of the Blacksmith Seat》

······

A list of 100 rewards named after the seats appeared.

‘I can’t tell what the exact rewards are.’

However, there were no related abilities or options visible.

It meant that one had to choose purely based on the name of the seat.

‘I don’t need to choose this immediately.’

It was a matter to ponder.

Rewards offered by the seats themselves, directly bearing their names.

Each one must be a treasure of heaven and earth.

It couldn’t be chosen rashly.

‘More importantly.’

I had already obtained a lot.

First, I confirmed 300 hours of the broken Golden Rule.

My reputation also increased by 500. Considering that reputation-related quests usually give between 10 and 30 points, 500 was a staggering number.

And most importantly.

‘Eternal Randolph.’

An Out-of-Standard grade mystery, Eternal Randolph!

When it was Unique, it only had my name, but after being upgraded to Out-of-Standard, the prefix ‘Eternal’ was added.

The prefix ‘Eternal’ was something I had never seen before, so it naturally caught my attention.

A mystery that is colorless, odorless, and formless.

But I could clearly confirm the mystery given to me.

【Eternal Randolph (Out-of-Standard)】

★ A mystery given to those who transcend all standards.

★ Permanent destruction of mysteries of the grade ‘Eternal Randolph’ and below (can destroy active mysteries, limited to one per target)

★ Indestructible (cannot be destroyed even by the Hammer of the God of Destruction)

★ Uninterferable (blocks all influences that can interfere with the mystery)

★ Permanent (remains active in all situations)

★ Hidden characteristic ‘Eternal Randolph’ added

The phrases were long if you considered them long, and short if you considered them short.

‘······This is insane.’

But the content was by no means ordinary.

Frozen in place, I could feel my heartbeat in my face.

‘The ability to destroy the opponent’s mystery.’

Even more, the ability to destroy mysteries of the Unique grade and below meant that I could permanently eliminate any Unique mystery if I so desired.

Moreover, the three options known as the ‘three great options’ of Unique items—indestructible, uninterferable, and permanent—were all attached.

‘A hidden characteristic was added.’

The moment the 13 hidden characteristics became 14.

The hidden characteristics that were added based on talent were now increased by one due to the mystery, something I had never seen before.

Options with nothing to discard.

The strongest mystery that even the Knight King Wilhelm could not obtain!

It was literally the strongest.

There was no other way to express it.

I savored the aftertaste of the emotion for a long time.

Because I had never seen anything like this.

Even after collecting eight Unique items while playing the game, the aftertaste was much longer than the excitement I felt then.

‘It’s time to leave now.’

After savoring it for about ten minutes, I slowly began to move.

Since my level had increased, all my stats, including my stamina, had been restored.

Since I had conquered all the mysteries in the tower, there was no need to stay any longer.

I moved my feet to the generated warp.

And.

‘······The Four Kings?’

I faced the Four Kings gathered in front of the tower.

*

The last entrant being just the King of Corpse Crows.

The most worthless among the entrants.

The Four Kings couldn’t help but be puzzled.

All 100 entrants had come out, but not a single one was considered a transcendent being.

However.

“Hmm······”

“I can’t tell.”

They couldn’t make a definitive judgment about the King of Corpse Crows.

The Four Kings all tilted their heads.

Whether he was strong or weak, nothing could be properly estimated.

What was certain was that the King of Corpse Crows possessed something that made them suspicious.

“That, that crown······”

“Isn’t it the crown made when the rings merged?”

“Oh.”

The answer was in the muttering of the monsters.

The crown worn by the Corpse Crow was clearly the same as the one created when the five rings of the tower merged.

“Is it possible that a mere Corpse Crow has surpassed my mystery?”

However, not everyone was convinced.

Imugi raised his head again.

He couldn’t accept that the phenomenon and situation were not created by him.

Imugi threateningly deployed the Legendary mystery, ‘Illusion Dragon’s Fog’.

“Look! My majesty! The master of the mystery that a mere Corpse Crow can never match!”

His presence was overwhelming, his aura overflowing.

He approached the Corpse Crow to show the clear difference in power.

“Move, caw.”

At that moment.

Imugi’s mystery, the Illusion Dragon’s Fog, disappeared.

“What······?!”

Imugi was taken aback.

The mystery was not deactivated.

······ The mystery was destroyed.

But he couldn’t understand it.

A mystery is something that cannot be interfered with by others.

It is an absolute truth that cannot be destroyed.

Therefore, for the monsters, a mystery is a proof of existence.

Beyond simply enhancing abilities and granting options, it is an immutable presence.

Yet the mystery was destroyed in an instant.

He hadn’t done anything special.

Just as the King of Corpse Crows came into view, the mystery was permanently erased.

“Hmm······!”

The Four Kings stiffened at the sight.

They were also certain that the mystery had been destroyed.

Common sense was shattered. The balance was upset in an instant.

“How did you destroy my mystery······!”

Imugi was still taken aback.

But his surprise soon turned to anger.

The mystery obtained from the Mystery Chamber is only one.

The monsters challenge the Mystery Chamber with all their might to obtain it.

No matter how difficult it was to obtain.

“I will kill you······!”

Snap!

Imugi couldn’t finish his sentence.

He had instantly turned to stone.

The King of Corpse Crows said, seeing this.

“Seems like there’s a smart one among you, caw.”

Arrogantly.

Even in front of the Four Kings, without a hint of hesitation.

As if he would destroy all the surrounding areas if left unchecked.

But his words didn’t sound arrogant.

‘Majesty.’

When the King of Corpse Crows spoke, such majesty was felt.

Unignorable.

Unignorable.

A strange sensation that even the White King couldn’t evoke.

If all the Four Kings felt it, it couldn’t be an illusion.

But one thing was certain.

‘He is not an enemy.’

But he wasn’t an ally either.

What could it be?

What is the King of Corpse Crows?

But the words that followed were even more shocking.

“Bring the White King, caw. You are not on my level, caw.”

*

Facing the Four Kings as soon as I exited the Mystery Chamber.

And seeing the numerous monsters, I was certain.

They had gathered here because of me.

Perhaps the tower itself had announced my challenge.

A completely different situation from when I first entered the city.

【Lv.12】

I thought the Four Kings were level 11, but they were level 12.

They had leveled up during the time I was in the tower.

The problem was that the Four Kings were different from ordinary monsters.

Super Elite Raid Boss Monsters!

A level 1 difference was more than a 1-star difference.

‘If I clash with them, I’ll be killed instantly.’

I probably won’t even last a second.

I didn’t expect it, but I can’t back down either.

If I back down here, it will be the end. First impressions are that important.

‘In this situation.’

I have no choice but to see it through.

Fortunately, the timing was good.

I destroyed Imugi’s mystery, instilling a sense of caution.

Moreover, the Four Kings can’t grasp me.

14 hidden characteristics.

I had a sense of one of the effects of ‘Eternal Randolph’.

‘Majesty of the species.’

It imbues words with majesty.

An effect that even the Four Kings couldn’t resist.

‘······I never wanted to meet them again.’

And so, currently.

I am in the White King’s chamber with the Four Kings.

The White King I never wanted to meet again.

“The White King is coming.”

With the Great Earth Dragon’s words, looking at the high throne.

The Four Kings, who have transformed into half-human, half-demon forms, kneel in order.

······Now there’s no turning back.

White King (Crystal)

A symbol of the times.

I’m already on the tiger’s back.

With the momentum, I can’t get off, and once I’ve spoken, I can’t take it back.

The only thing left is one.

To fight with all my might.

‘The final boss.’

······No matter how composed I try to be, I can’t stop the burning in my heart.

If I didn’t have the heart of an iron-blooded ruler, I might have vomited by now.

Such a level of pressure.

I succeeded in deceiving the Four Kings, but the White King is on a different level.

But the fact that they brought me to the White King means they felt a sense of caution.

At least, it proved that I was a being they couldn’t judge at their level.