Chapter 107
“Night has ended, so why hasn’t anyone shown up yet?”
“They couldn’t all be dead, right?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. There were a million participants.”
“Exactly. Do you really think they all died?”
“…It’s already morning.”
Those who hadn’t participated in the Second Night were puzzled.
Dawn had broken, but none of the participants had returned.
In the previous First Night, participants had reappeared the moment morning came.
But now, even after twenty-four hours, not a single return was reported. People slowly began to feel uneasy.
“Could it really have been a total wipeout…?”
“I know for a fact many of the strongest elites participated. Are you saying all of them died?”
“A million of them?”
Representatives of nations, their greatest powers, had entered.
If they were all gone, a devastating void in strength would follow.
Should a large-scale Abyss like a Dungeon Abyss occur now, casualties would be catastrophic.
Unprepared nations would suffer crippling blows.
Their very survival might be at risk.
Governments worldwide raised the red alert.
After all, it was only natural to protect their awakened elites, who represented their future national power.
They had to uncover what had happened to those who entered the Second Night.
“…The Han Yeon Group’s eldest son Han Shin, Seoul Union’s leader Lim Chang-yeol, Southern Union’s Seo Soo-gil, and the whereabouts of numerous other [Transcendent Awakeners] remain unknown.”
The same was true in South Korea.
The government tracked what they classified as [Transcendent Awakeners].
Those who had surpassed ordinary Awakeners—those who had broken past their limits and were believed to embody national power itself—were secretly cataloged and monitored with extreme care.
Now, of the roughly hundred names on that list, the whereabouts of most were unknown.
“Do you believe they all entered the Second Night?”
Minister of the newly established government agency, the [Abyss Safety Department], Park Sang-min, exhaled deeply as he read the report.
The Abyss Safety Department had the authority to independently handle all matters concerning the Abyss.
Though recently founded, it was the highest-level body capable of rapidly and accurately tracking the state of Awakeners and Abyss occurrences.
“Yes. It appears that around eighteen thousand Awakeners, including most of the Transcendent Awakeners, entered the Second Night.”
The man delivering the report recited the figures.
Park Sang-min’s sigh deepened.
Eighteen thousand out of a million were Koreans.
And that was only what had been confirmed—likely, the real number was even higher.
Clearly, Koreans were deeply invested in the Abyss.
And yet none of them had returned.
All had entered the Second Night and then vanished.
By the twenty-four-hour mark, the Abyss Safety Department had scrambled to assess the situation, but no one seemed to have returned.
“How many Transcendent Awakeners are confirmed alive? Meaning, how many did not enter the Second Night?”
“Five.”
“…We’d better prepare for the worst. Ah—what about the Han Yeon Group’s reaction? All their heirs are confirmed to have entered the Second Night.”
Han Yeon Group, one of Korea’s top ten conglomerates.
Its eldest son Han Shin and second son Han Min-oh were both gone.
Both had entered the Second Night.
“Are you asking about Han Shin, or Han Min-oh, Minister?”
“…You’re certain Han Shin entered the Second Night?”
Park Sang-min’s expression hardened.
Han Shin was on the Transcendent Awakener list, but Han Min-oh was not.
What mattered most was Han Shin’s potential—foremost among even the Transcendents.
A young hero, destined to lead Korea.
He was of utmost interest.
“It’s confirmed.”
“Haah…”
Park Sang-min’s face darkened.
So many Transcendent Awakeners had vanished.
And since no one worldwide had returned, extinction was a real possibility.
‘The future looks grim.’
What now?
Should the government itself attempt to nurture new Transcendent Awakeners?
There were already similar projects underway, but their results had been unimpressive.
Park Sang-min believed forced cultivation was meaningless.
The Abyss had to be conquered by one’s own will—that was the only path to true growth.
No amount of training imposed by the state could replace personal resolve and firsthand experience.
Naturally, the loss of naturally emerged Transcendent Awakeners was a bitter blow.
Eighteen thousand—they were Korea’s future.
But they couldn’t be forced to avoid participation either.
After all, simply looking up at the full moon was enough to be drawn into the Second Night.
“A countermeasure—”
“Minister!”
Thud!
Just then.
The door flew open and another man rushed in, breathless.
Park Sang-min tilted his head.
“What is it?”
“They’ve… returned!”
“Who?”
“The Awakeners who entered the Second Night!”
“…!!!”
Park Sang-min’s eyes widened like lanterns.
Returned?
Even after more than a full day?
But more important was the fact itself.
At least eighteen thousand Koreans were known to have participated—likely more than twenty thousand in reality.
“How many returned?”
How many of them had come back alive?
Or rather, how many Transcendent Awakeners had survived?
The sweating messenger stammered.
“I—I don’t know yet. But it looks like most of them have!”
“…Understood. Start identifying the returnees immediately.”
—
The participants of the Second Night had returned!
This revelation shook the world.
Everyone had assumed that, after a full day had passed, they were all dead.
Yet they came back.
And most of them had survived.
Of the one million participants, more than 800,000.
Survival rate: 86.7%.
“All thanks to Korea’s Lee Hyuk-soo.”
“The dragon hunter! The one who slew the Dragon General alone in the First Night saved us all!”
“Dragon Killer? No, Lee Hyuk-soo is a god!”
“The expected survival rate was only 11.1%! The Second Night was a hell beyond comparison to the First!”
“Lee Hyuk-soo achieved the [Mythical Achievement] and saved us all. Amen.”
“Didn’t he also complete the [Legendary Quest]?”
“A dragon has appeared in Korea.”
The returnees—
They all shouted Lee Hyuk-soo’s name.
The rule had been simple: fail to reach 100 contribution points, and you die.
But most participants had fallen short.
The strong had monopolized contributions.
Even when one caught a Doppelgänger, the token could easily be stolen.
But because Lee Hyuk-soo achieved the [Mythical Achievement], everyone received 1,000 contribution points.
And that wasn’t all.
“Everyone got a Platinum Box!”
“This is insane!”
“They say it can drop up to [Ancient] grade!”
867,000 people had received a [Platinum Box] as their reward.
A gift beyond all expectations, given such survival rates.
As a result, countless Creators who had invested in the Second Night went bankrupt.
Even the Master of the Moon, Ahheta, suffered a crushing loss.
“…Korea’s Lee Hyuk-soo?”
“The First Night, the Second Night—he carried them both?”
“Is Lee Hyuk-soo the messiah of this age?”
“We must invite him to America.”
The entire world turned its gaze toward Korea.
For there stood the savior who had rescued the future from despair—Lee Hyuk-soo.
—
While all eyes fixed on Lee Hyuk-soo—
Park Chan-woo was staring at his [Status Window], checking it dozens, hundreds of times.
—
Affiliation: Earth / Human / Republic of Korea
Name: Park Chan-woo
Age: 27
Sex: Male
Height/Weight: 180cm / 67.5kg
Level: -84
Strength 119 (1+118)
Stamina 94 (1+93)
Agility 23 (1+22)
Intelligence 38 (1+37)
Magic 47 (1+46)
Status: [Weakest], [Frail], [Feeble], [Nonexistent], [Terminal] (511 days), [Immune to All Poisons]
Total Attack Power: 1,340 (340+1,000)
Total Defense Power: 1,920 (520+1,400)
Total Penetration: 10%
Magic Crit: 32%
Casting Speed: 25%
Double Casting: 25%
Magic Effectiveness: 25%
Mana Regeneration: 644%
Active Auras:
[Golden Aura] (Doubles ATK/DEF depending on coin count)
[Seeker’s First Step] (+1 to all stats per 10 coins)
Reputation: 54,000
Class: Magic Swordsman (Lv.19)
Available Magic: [Reflection] (Great Magic, Unique), [Heaven’s Wrath] (Lightning Magic, Unique), [Super Regeneration] (Passive, Unique)
Hidden Class Traits:
(1) 「Eternal Sword」 – ???
(2) 「Annihilating Magic」 – Destroys the ‘Fundamental Magic’ of species
Remaining Class Level Points: 0
—
‘Attack and defense are far higher than I imagined.’
The growth was undeniable.
Compared to before, the difference was like night and day.
To call this just the result of one Second Night was absurd.
He had gained three [Class Level Points] through his deeper grasp of waves, immediately using them to level up [Magic Swordsman].
On top of that, attack power had increased by nearly 1,000, defense by around 1,500.
Three times higher than before.
And the stats—
‘Thanks to the Belt of Baal and Trail of Divinity, Strength and Stamina skyrocketed.’
The Belt of Baal raised both stats by 66.
Meanwhile, the Trail of Divinity granted +5 Strength for every equipped Legendary or higher gear piece.
No wonder his body felt sturdier and healthier than ever.
‘Looking at this Status Window, anyone would think I’m a warrior.’
His Strength and Stamina had ballooned so much, his stat balance flipped.
Who would call him a mage after seeing this?
He wielded weapons, yes, but his path was resolutely that of the Archmage.
Which meant this Status Window was problematic.
The balance was off.
‘…These stats rival a level 40 warrior.’
But Strength and Stamina had little to do with casting magic.
Though healthier and stronger, was this really something to celebrate?
‘Still… what did I overlook?’
Something was off.
His attack and defense were higher than his own calculations.
As he examined the window, he found the reason.
Equipped Gear:
[Star of Arrogance] (∞Lv, Quarter God, Necklace/Jewel)
[World Tree Staff] (-98Lv, Eternal, Staff/Weapon)
[Helmet of Frost] (-95Lv, Legendary)
[Trail of Divinity] (-89Lv, Legendary)
[Golden Mystery of the Arahan] (-89Lv, Legendary)
[Ultimate Gauntlets] (-89Lv, Legendary)
[Belt of Baal] (-84Lv, Zero, Radiant Exclusive Equipment, Set)
[Shoes of Hermes] (-92Lv, Ancient)
Abyss Items Held:
[Easter Egg (001)]
[Philosopher’s Stone] (Magic+14, Legendary)
[Void] (Eternal)
[Coins] (150)
‘Ah. That explains it.’
He had briefly overlooked something.
One item’s grade had changed.
‘The Golden Mystery of the Arahan leveled up.’
With his coin count increased, its grade had risen.
Its inherent option description had stated: “When held coins exceed a set threshold, the Golden Mystery’s grade will rise.”
Now that his coins had surpassed 100, its fourth option had also unlocked.
‘Golden Mystery of the Arahan, and the Mythic Title.’
With just these two things left to check, he could gauge his transformation—and his future potential.
Park Chan-woo moved to confirm his equipment and title changes.
And then—
“…Wait.”
He tilted his head.
“What is this option?”
For the first time in his life, he saw an unfamiliar one.