A pillar of red light descended from the sky.

[Limited Ability ‘Unity of Spirit and Body’ is activated!]

Kukukuku!

A dark, dense aura flickered through Nirasha’s body.

The God of Destruction ‘Shiva’.

A deity of the highest order in India, Shiva is among the strongest when it comes to offensive power, leaving no room for argument.

“Huhuhu…”

Nirasha’s body trembled finely under the overwhelming power.

Though she harbored only a fraction of Shiva’s strength…

The pressure was beyond what either players or residents could withstand.

“Don’t forget, Duke. 10% of all future profits from the empire belong to our Gandhara Guild. And you must also keep that ‘promise’.”

“Of course, if this matter concludes well, that won’t be an issue. I’ll take extra care of it and will clearly state your merits to the Murim side.”

Bainstul nodded hurriedly.

At this moment when everyone turned their backs, the only trust lay with Nirasha and the rankers of Gandhara leading them.

“If you say so…”

Nirasha walked forward with a slight smile.

Crunch…

Crack!

With each step, the ground beneath her shattered.

“I’ve heard so much about you that it’s almost unbearable. I really wanted to meet you.”

Media, communities, ViewTube, the Hall of Fame.

For the past year, everything was plastered with the name Kang Jinhyuk.

It couldn’t be helped.

His numerous achievements and brilliant performances were truly unparalleled among players.

It was infuriating.

He was also strong.

He had as much talent as anyone.

Why then did all the spotlight fall only on that man?

That was simply infuriating.

“But that ends here. We are enough to ascend the tower.”

The corners of Nirasha’s mouth curled upwards.

Knowing the insurmountable gap between a divinely powered player and others…

And knowing she was the only one who could freely communicate with a divinity…

Nirasha was confident in her victory.

However, at that moment.

A gentle breeze swept across the tomb.

[A higher being responds to your call!]

Time slowed, and the space turned monochrome.

A handsome man with silver hair and golden eyes appeared before Jinhyuk.

“Oh?”

Curiosity and intrigue oozed from his playful expression.

But it was only for a brief moment.

“You don’t seem too surprised by my magic.”

The man tilted his head curiously as he gazed at Jinhyuk.

“I knew you would come. After all, there’s only one divinity that would favor me and lend me strength.”

“Oh? I heard you were closer to the Egyptian ones.”

“I’m acquainted with them, sure, but not enough to call it friendship.”

Horus or Osiris might not know, but Anubis with his twisted personality would never lend his power.

However.

There was a divinity who demanded that Chun Yoosung wear a maid outfit.

It seemed like a joke at first glance,

But a divinity powerful enough to interfere with the system must have strained to make its presence known.

“You showed favor… I suppose that’s one way to put it. I am indeed curious about you.”

A positive response.

Most divinities quickly lose interest or break their promises.

But this one seemed willing to keep talking.

“I’m in a tough spot right now. I hope you’ll help me this once.”

“Shiva… the vessel of his power? Indeed, it’s too much for a player to handle alone. Of course, I could try.”

“Are you saying you’ll help?”

“No.”

The man shook his head.

“You talk as if you know me well, but your words are merely speculation.”

Testing one’s opponent with pieced-together information is the work of an amateur.

“If you want my help, speak my true name. Then I will assist you.”

As expected.

This was his approach.

Guessing players weren’t worth helping.

“By acquiring ‘the Jar that Devours Filth’ in the mental hospital, a connection was formed with you.”

It sounded nice to say a connection, but it was more akin to a one-way mirror for the other side.

But thanks to that, the opportunity to summon him here through the ‘Heavenly Command Stone’ was created.

A divinity known as ‘The Rotting Heart’ who once tried to kill him with a curse but grew more interested after failing.

The Demon Lord ‘Berial.’

“That’s your true name.”

Jinhyuk slowly opened his mouth.

A mischievous smile spread across the man’s face.

“Well done. You are indeed the player I’ve taken an interest in.”

Berial’s figure gradually faded.

And with it.

The constraints of time and space began to unravel.

Nirasha’s forward march halted abruptly.

A chilling, sticky aura spread down her spine.

Something had changed.

“No way…”

Her voice trembled thinly.

It was unbelievable.

Such temperamental and arrogant divinities responding just through the ‘Heavenly Command Stone’.

Even she, rooted in Indian divinity, had taken great effort and time to receive their blessing.

And he had done it so easily…?

Impossible as it seemed, denying it wouldn’t change reality.

“…What a monstrous fellow. Is this what they call talent?”

Nirasha stood frozen, her face tense with anxiety.

“To think there’s another player like Lady Nirasha.”

“No, even Lady Nirasha hasn’t received divine recognition with just one attempt.”

“How can such a person exist?”

“I can’t believe it…”

The Gandhara Guild players and even the empire’s nobles and knights were equally bewildered.

“In my lifetime… to see the Heavenly Command Stone respond.”

“He truly is worthy to be a comrade of the First Emperor. Absolutely astounding.”

“We were about to make an enemy of such a person.”

Admiration turned into awe, which then led to mere spectation.

It was natural.

In the face of such an absurd situation, all humanity could do was watch.

Then again.

Kukukuku!

[Limited Ability ‘Unity of Spirit and Body’ is activated again!]

Another beam of light fell from the sky.

This time, a denser, darker aura began to encroach upon the space.

“What’s the matter? You stepped forward confidently, why recoil all of a sudden?”

“Who… says I’m recoiling? Even the divinity you summoned is inferior to mine in rank.”

Nirasha pulled out her trademark Vajra.

Golden mist gradually inflated in size.

At the same time.

Ptssch!

Jinhyuk also summoned an ability befitting the Demon Lord’s blessing.

‘Claws that Eclipse the Moon’ manifested, and dark claws appeared along his hands.

They resembled the ferocious talons of a beast.

‘A prolonged battle would be taxing for both.’

Given it was a proxy war between higher divinities, they were bound by system constraints.

A few exchanges might be the limit.

Then…

• Pour all your power into each attack.
• Fell with a single strike.

These two thoughts merged into one.

What followed was a collision beyond human reckoning.

Kwakwakwakwakwa!

As the Vajra and the claws crossed, a tremendous shockwave erupted.

The stone slabs and marble on the floor were completely overturned, and the columns supporting the ceiling snapped like brittle twigs.

“Deploy shields!”

“Get away!”

Those watching from a distance tried desperately to raise their shields, but even the aftershocks were too much to bear.

Only the barriers still holding up inside the tomb saved them from being buried alive within.

“This isn’t a fight for humans. Get further away. If you get caught up, you won’t even find your bones.”

“A shock like this, even with a 7th Circle shield.”

“It feels like being hit directly by high-circle offensive magic.”

Groans echoed around.

The mere fact of witnessing the event seemed life-threatening.

“Still, we’re lucky.”

“We almost died, what do you mean lucky?”

“If you consider the condition of those in the storm… we might as well be in heaven.”

Given the situation here, what could it possibly be like inside?

All eyes turned to one place.

Within the dense smoke.

Two monsters were still fiercely moving to claim each other’s lives.

“That’s… true.”

“Right. Absolutely right.”

Kagagagak!

The black claws grazed the side of the Vajra and lunged at Nirasha.

But just before they could dig into her soft flesh,

Woong!

A golden barrier spread along Nirasha’s body.

‘Mandala’. A top-ranked unique ability.

“Kuk!”

Jinhyuk urgently altered his trajectory.

Getting caught up in that would be dangerous.

Maybe it was manageable against Nirasha alone, but not with her enhanced by ‘Unity of Spirit and Body’.

[Stop using Gandara so wastefully and come at me properly. Aren’t you called ‘The Thunder of the Blue Woods’?]

Berial clicked his tongue.

[The foul stench of the underworld, was it you, Berial! How dare you, calling me out on my anger management! My epithet is ‘The Thunder of the Blue Woods’!]

[Oh, please. As if a tree breaker like you could be anything else. Your cheeks are the only blue thing about you.]

[What did you say? You vulgar thing! We should have wiped out your demon kind in the war a thousand years ago.]

[Why didn’t you then? Think I’d lose to you even if you drank tons by the gallon the day before?]

Berial fired back rapidly.

He might not outmatch in strength, but he was thoroughly shaking his opponent in this verbal barrage.

This guy… seems to have changed a bit since he started observing me through ‘the Jar that Devours Filth’.

But these weren’t just empty taunts.

They were provocations meant to disrupt the opponent’s focus.

[Unfortunately, with our current connection, I can’t break that power.]

“I know.”

He had known that from the start.

Yet he had faced Nirasha and Shiva…

…because he was confident he could overcome them.

Watch carefully.

What it means to have seen the top of the tower.

[‘The Third Privilege for the First to Conquer the Tower’ is now unlocked!]

Having already gained Reinhardt’s complete trust, he had received two rewards.

The first was the ability to copy one of Reinhardt’s skills, ‘Diplomacy’.

And the second was ‘The Third Privilege for the First to Conquer the Tower’.

‘I checked the content before the fight.’

All that was left was to wait.

To gauge each other’s abilities through the ongoing battle.

And to wait for the moment they prematurely draw lines at their perceived limits.

[Would you like to unlock it now?]

The status window appeared.

“Yes.”

Jinhyuk nodded.