Chapter 177
An additional reward.
Ahetta’s bankruptcy must have caused an enormous ripple.
Not only had the Hidden Treasure Vault been opened, but an extra reward selection was now being offered.
And judging from how his Hall of Fame ranking had risen, they clearly considered his achievement to be on an entirely different level.
His current Level was -73.
He turned his attention to Additional Reward Option 1—experience points.
It stated that choosing it would immediately raise his Level by 8.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t tempted.
His expiration date had already shortened.
Four hundred days.
If he failed to reach Level 1 within that period, he would die.
Jumping to -65 in one stroke would bring him significantly closer.
And Level was the most important measure of strength in the Abyss.
It was a perfect chance to accelerate both his Class Level and equipment level.
Since he hadn’t received the main reward yet, raising his Level first would ensure all equipment scaled based on the new, higher standard.
On top of that, his stats would rise even further through the Mage’s Stone and Sage’s Stone.
Then there was Option 2.
A thousand coins.
Absurdly generous—far more than the total number he had collected so far.
If he chose it, Arahan’s Golden Mystery would activate.
All his stats would skyrocket.
He could fully unlock every option contained within Arahan’s Golden Mystery.
The First Step of the Seeker—
a cheat-like effect granting +1 to all stats for every 10 coins.
But it didn’t grow endlessly.
No equipment in the Abyss allowed infinite scaling.
The cap was 50.
Which meant the effect applied up to 500 coins.
Even without considering Arahan’s Golden Mystery, simply possessing a thousand coins was unimaginable value.
Coins could be poured into creating a Creation Abyss, or used for transactions.
He stroked his chin.
Then his eyes shifted to the third reward.
…Grand Commander of Death Anubis.
Anubis himself.
This reward was just as practical as the others, if not more.
He had seen Anubis’s power countless times.
And for the sake of Radiant Anubis, Boksil, choosing him was the morally correct option.
If he didn’t choose him, Anubis would die here.
Ahetta had gone bankrupt and vanished.
Anubis was tied to him—his disappearance was guaranteed.
“Let me go.”
Anubis, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
“…You want me to let you die?”
Park Chan-woo asked again, just to be sure.
Even when he had run wild, Anubis had calmed the instant he saw Boksil.
But now he wanted to be left to die?
“Too much blood lies on my hands. I wish to end my life here… and console the vengeful spirits of those I killed.”
“Can’t you console them while living?”
“If I continue to exist, countless curses and spirits would follow me. Even for someone like you, they would become a burden.”
“That’s quite gruesome.”
“…And I cannot allow this immense curse to pass to my child.”
Anubis looked at Boksil.
“Kkyuu…”
Boksil looked back up at him, eyes wet.
She had returned to her usual fluffy form.
She bounced around anxiously, unsure how to approach the large Anubis.
Instinctively, she recognized him as her parent.
She remembered him—dimly, from her earliest memories.
“My child. You carry radiance. Unlike me, that is your blessing.”
Anubis’s eyes softened.
He had sensed the light inside Boksil.
To prevent his child from becoming one of Ahetta’s test subjects, he had sealed her inside a box and thrown her into a rift in the Abyss.
Hoping she would reach someone worthy.
“Thank you… for raising my child so well. She will surely grow into ‘Urbis.’”
“Urbis? What’s that?”
“The God of Life. Or the one called the God of Light.”
He had heard that name before.
It was the god Death Knight Gula worshipped during her lifetime.
“The God of Light Ahwe?”
“It seems I was once called by that name.”
“…You were the God of Light?”
Absurd.
He was genuinely stunned.
He had never imagined he would hear that name from Anubis.
But thinking back, it made sense.
So that was how Gula regained her holy power.
When Boksil bloomed the Flower of Life, Gula had cried out the name Ahwe and released her holy power.
She seemed to have inherited Ahwe’s power.
The other Death Knights had reacted similarly.
If Boksil was the descendant of the God of Light Ahwe, it explained everything.
“I had my Light and Life stolen by the Demon Gods. Afterward, I fell and wandered the Abyss until Ahetta found me. He turned me into the Grand Commander of Death and made me guard this Temple.”
Park Chan-woo already knew how that story unfolded.
Leading the Army of Death, Anubis had invaded countless worlds.
Exterminated entire races.
“With my memories sealed, I acted as Death itself. Those who worshiped me were turned into death soldiers and forced into endless labor. It was… a pitiful past.”
Gula, the paladins, all saints—they had all worshiped Ahwe.
Never knowing that Anubis was their god.
Ahetta’s cruelty was beyond imagination.
In the Dungeon of the Beast God, he transformed the Orc Priest Yan into a Lich and forced him to guard the Thousand Blood Elixir, containing the lives of fifteen thousand orcs.
Ahetta deserved to die countless more times.
“I must console them. I must pray for the repose of those killed by me and by my followers. The countless souls in this Temple as well. So, O One Called by the Light—please build a ‘Temple of Light.’ This Temple of Eternity is enough to serve as its foundation.”
He was asking him to rebuild Ahwe’s temple.
At that moment—
Ding!
《Hidden Record of the Abyss.》
《A God Quest the demons desperately concealed has appeared!》
《Rebuild the Temple of Light.》
《Anubis intends to willingly meet his death to console all souls within the Temple of Eternity. Once the temple becomes empty, he wishes for you to transform it into a Temple of Light.》
《If the Temple of Light is completed, Radiant Anubis Boksil will acquire Divine Status.》
《However, to complete the Temple of Light, you must reclaim the Light and Life stolen by the Demon Gods.》
There were no gods in the Abyss.
Stories said all gods vanished during an ancient war.
Only their relics and remnants were said to remain.
But before him now stood one who had once been a god.
Anubis.
The God of Radiant Light.
An unfortunate being who had lost his divinity after the Demon Gods stole his Light and Life.
To help a god ascend…
But the gods hadn’t disappeared entirely.
They had simply taken different forms, forgotten, hidden away.
Just like now.
Just like Anubis standing before him.
“O One Called by the Light. I entrust my child to you.”
“Kkyuuuu!”
Boksil cried out.
She threw herself at Anubis, refusing to part.
But time was running out.
The Third Night was collapsing.
He had to choose.
“My child, do not despair. If the Temple of Light is rebuilt… we will meet again.”
No one knew when—or if—it could be rebuilt.
How could he retrieve what the Demon Gods had stolen?
He had barely defeated Ahetta—and only with Demon God Gremory’s intervention.
But Anubis’s words offered a sliver of hope.
They would not be parting forever.
“And since Ahetta has vanished, the Secret Laboratory should have been liberated. Information regarding it must have surfaced for you. Within it lies much that will aid you greatly.”
Aid?
What could he mean?
But Additional Reward Option 4 was indeed Ahetta’s Secret Laboratory.
It seemed Anubis knew that place well.
Park Chan-woo nodded.
Experience points and coins were important, but this implied something even greater awaited in the Secret Laboratory.
Soon, Boksil separated from Anubis—accepting his death.
Because a reunion was still possible.
“See you again.”
Ding!
《Additional Reward Option 4: Ahetta’s Secret Laboratory has been selected.》
《You have accepted the quest: Rebuild the Temple of Light.》
《Anubis returns to the True Heaven along with the souls of the Temple.》
《His existence soothes countless souls steeped in despair.》
《Many races express their gratitude toward you.》
《Title: Friend of the Perished Races acquired.》
《Title: One Called by the Light acquired.》
《Entering the Hidden Treasure Vault.》
—
《Time limit: 3 hours.》
《Only one treasure can be selected.》
《Observation is disabled.》
《All magic use is disabled.》
《All equipment and tools are unusable.》
《If more than one treasure is selected, the Exit Door will vanish.》
《Any chosen treasure will be completed as Exclusive Equipment.》
《All materials and coins required for Exclusive Equipment will be provided by Ahetta.》
Park Chan-woo surveyed the surroundings and let out a quiet laugh.
“Ahetta rearranged everything.”
Mountains of treasures stretched before him.
But the layout differed from before.
Ahetta had clearly rearranged the vault in preparation for his arrival.
Not only rearranged—
the total number of treasures had increased drastically.
A transparent attempt to waste his time.
However—
Ahetta had no idea how he found treasures.
He had located Baal’s Belt through magical waves.
He would do the same now.
No matter how heavily Ahetta hid them, they would be found.
But…
Ahetta was bankrupt.
How was he supposed to upgrade anything into Exclusive Equipment?
He would only know after choosing.
The system message had appeared.
That meant the upgrade was guaranteed.
Park Chan-woo placed his hand on the ground—
And read every magical wave flowing through the vault.
His understanding of magical waves had deepened tremendously.
Even without amplifying the waves, he could perceive them clearly.
Soon—
“…Found it.”
He moved instantly.
Past mountains of treasure.
Toward the two masterpieces buried among them.
The sword and the boots.
He quickly located both.
He could only choose one.
But he wasn’t concerned.
The Hidden Treasure Vault appeared to transfer to the administrator of the next Night.
If that was the case, the vault wouldn’t disappear.
It would simply shift to the next manager, allowing him to challenge it again.
Park Chan-woo considered briefly.
He already had the True Satyrus’s Boots.
He had only recently replaced Hermes’s Boots.
But if he chose the sword—
The Eternal Sword.
A weapon that manifested according to the target’s Level.
Its drawback was shorter summon time against stronger enemies—but it was invaluable in emergencies.
And now he could obtain the fully completed Eternal Sword.
His deliberation didn’t last long.
Ding!
《Selection complete.》
《Acquired: Baal’s Sword (-73Lv, Zero Rank, Set).》
《Enhancement to Exclusive Equipment begins.》
《Easter Egg (001) evolves, granting Greater Fortune!》
“…Huh?”