Chapter 233

Park Chan-woo’s test looked simple, but it was anything but.

A single punch packed with enough internal energy to grind steel into powder.

Even if you used everything available in the environment to defend yourself, it still wouldn’t be enough.

‘There were even cases where they used tools, Barriers, or even people to block it.’

The method was free.

Build a wall, cast a Barrier, or even use another person as a shield.

There were even challengers who tried to bind Lee Sabek with a [Sealing Sphere] to immobilize him.

But none of it mattered.

As long as they blocked the punch somehow and survived, they passed.

There were also plenty of fools who tried to show off and died for nothing.

Just like the man standing in front of him now.

“Let’s begin.”

“…Begin?”

Lee Sabek’s expression hardened.

Did he underestimate the punch that had rattled Aura Armor a moment ago?

It wasn’t a punch with his full might.

That was because the Aura Armor had been exceptionally solid.

Not many Arahan on the mountain could unfold such excellent Aura Armor.

It had been meticulous and dense, leaving no room for criticism.

Even so, Lee Sabek’s majestic internal energy was powerful enough to crack black steel.

It even carried enough penetrating force to slip through the slightest gap.

In short.

‘He’s either empty-headed or confident.’

Either way, he didn’t get excited.

He was only an examiner.

All he had to do was strike with the same power and internal energy as always.

Lee Sabek nodded.

And—

Whooom!

Internal Energy gathered in his fist.

An amount of energy that would take a normal practitioner sixty years to accumulate pooled into his right hand, giving off a blue light.

He aimed for the most vulnerable spot—the abdomen.

Soft flesh, no bones, only organs.

If the challenger preemptively tried to block it, he would be disqualified on the spot.

He had to endure it in the same posture he started in.

And yet, for a living being, it was only natural to feel the instinct to survive at the sight of Lee Sabek’s fist.

What would the challenger do?

Twitch!

As Lee Sabek drew his arm back, his muscles tightened.

The challenger remained composed.

He still didn’t move an inch.

Lee Sabek had to acknowledge his nerve.

After settling into the most perfect stance, he drove his contracted arm forward.

Crack!

‘…Crack?’

A sound that shouldn’t exist rang out from the tip of his fist.

Lee Sabek tilted his head at once.

It was the sound of bone breaking—his outstretched fist bending at an impossible angle.

It felt like he had punched something unbelievably hard.

Then what about his opponent?

If his own bones had broken, the opponent should have been shattered.

‘…He’s fine.’

Not a single flaw.

The posture was the same.

He hadn’t even taken a step back.

A punch carrying that much internal energy had become meaningless.

How?

Did that mean the challenger’s defense exceeded Lee Sabek’s attack?

Even if it was only moderate force, it was impossible.

Lee Sabek’s punch always penetrated.

Even the earlier challenger wrapped in Aura Armor had been visibly shaken.

That meant his fist had pierced the Aura Armor and inflicted damage.

Even if they raised a shield or wore armor, his attack still struck true.

But this time—

His fist shattered.

This was the first time he had ever encountered such a result.

Someone who passed his test so perfectly.

‘…This is absurd.’

Lee Sabek stared at Park Chan-woo with strange eyes.

—

Thanks to Chiwoo taking the test first, Park Chan-woo had time to finish his calculations.

He knew the extent of the examiner’s power.

And he reached a conclusion.

‘It’s roughly [Level 80] power.’

He carefully measured the flow of Mana and the minute movements of muscle.

The [Attack Power] range was between 8,000 and 9,000.

Since it pierced Aura Armor, it seemed to carry fairly high [Physical Penetration] as well.

Beyond that, the only possible variables were automatically applied magic, Authority, or blessings, but there were no signs of any of them activating.

If it was purely a physical collision, he had a chance.

‘My [Defense Power] is almost 10,000.’

It was usually harder to raise defense than attack.

Defense was considered excellent even at a 3:1 ratio compared to attack.

On the other hand, his defense was about 1.5:1 compared to his own attack.

Because he had the legendary cheat armor, [Ragnarok], which raised defense by over 5,000 through a single effect.

With his equipment concealed, he waited for the examiner’s fist.

If the calculations were correct, he would withstand it.

But if the calculations were wrong, or if the opponent’s [Physical Penetration] was higher than expected, he would take a fatal wound.

It was a gamble.

And that gamble succeeded, almost ostentatiously.

‘I can only be hit if [Physical Penetration] exceeds 26%.’

Even when attack was lower than defense, damage could still be inflicted depending on penetration, but Park Chan-woo had a whopping 26% [Physical Resistance].

And Park Chan-woo had never seen anyone with [Physical Penetration] above 26% except Dragon God Sephiro.

“…Passed.”

Lee Sabek said as he withdrew his twisted fist.

Then he set the broken bone back in place and rolled his wrist again.

“Special top grade. A tremendous guy has appeared among the Non Selected Individual.”

He smiled in satisfaction.

—

The entrance of the mountain fell into an uproar.

It was because word spread that a monster had appeared in Lee Sabek’s test.

“That Lee Sabek gave a special top grade?”

“There are two passers?”

“And both of them are Non Selected Individual?”

“I heard they’re from the Hidden Realm?”

Non Selected Individual from the Hidden Realm.

That alone was enough to become a hot topic among the Arahan.

And there had never been a precedent for Lee Sabek to give a special top grade.

No—he rarely gave anything higher than upper grade.

Yet both of them had passed with scores above upper grade.

Naturally, questions followed.

“They might be able to reach the mid-slope.”

“The problem is how long it’ll take.”

“Well, there are plenty of Arahan stuck at the entrance.”

Most Non Selected Individual from the Hidden Realm, when they appeared from time to time, reached the mid-slope without much trouble.

But timing and time were the issue.

The remaining two tests were nothing like the simple test to enter the mountain.

No wonder it was called the “circle of death,” leaving so many frustrated and stranded at the entrance.

It wasn’t that they were weak or content with staying here.

There were even Arahan at the entrance stronger than those on the mid-slope.

But there was one reason they couldn’t go up.

“The rookie hunters will move.”

“Those trashy bastards…”

—

Yula, the examiner in charge of the second test, looked at Park Chan-woo and Chiwoo.

“I heard the news. It’s been a while since decent Arahan entered the mountain. Lee Sabek didn’t spare his praise.”

Yula was a werewolf, a rare species.

A half-human, half-beast who gained greater power on nights when the full moon rose.

But even normally, she was easy to distinguish because she had wolf ears.

“You can proceed with the test, or you can give up halfway. If you stay at the entrance of the mountain, you won’t be given any benefits, but you won’t be kicked out either.”

Once you entered the mountain, you could stay as long as you wanted.

But at the entrance, you shouldn’t expect anything.

You had to build your own shelter and find your own food.

The mountain’s benefits only began from the mid-slope.

When you reached the mid-slope, you were recognized as a true Arahan of the Hall of All Gods, and many benefits were granted.

If you were lucky, you could be chosen by a high-ranking family and receive a special secret manual.

If your talent was acknowledged, you could even be treated as key talent of that family and receive direct instruction.

However, only a very small number of Arahan ever received such benefits.

It started with getting out of the entrance, but most couldn’t even get past this point.

“The test is simple. Take one of the Eight Trigrams from this box and keep it. Then enter the designated area and compete with the challengers. Collect all Eight Trigrams to pass.”

“If you lose the Eight Trigrams, you’re eliminated?”

When Chiwoo asked, Yula nodded.

“If you lose the Eight Trigrams, you’re automatically eliminated. If you want to take the test again, you have to stay at the entrance for a year and work.”

Staying was free, but retaking the test meant working for the mountain.

It was a setup that made the phrase “labor exploitation” come to mind.

It seemed the Arahan themselves procured everything needed for the mountain and the Hall of All Gods.

“Each of the Eight Trigrams has its own attribute. It’s powerful enough to forcibly determine victory or defeat if you present it, but if you rashly reveal it, you’re likely to suffer backlash.”

It was a kind of rock-paper-scissors.

You could leverage an attribute for advantage, or find yourself at a disadvantage.

“If you win, you can take one of the opponent’s Eight Trigrams. If you collect all eight attributes, you pass.”

“Does it matter if you don’t compete using the Eight Trigrams?”

“Ah, the method doesn’t matter. You can kill the opponent, make them surrender, or trade. Or it wouldn’t be bad to gather comrades and divide by attribute.”

In that sense, it was the same as Lee Sabek.

He said the method didn’t matter.

But it was never simple.

It meant a lawless zone would unfold.

It meant brute force alone wasn’t enough to pass.

“I’ll choose first.”

Chiwoo stepped forward.

Without hesitation, he plunged his hand into the chest that reached his waist.

The inside couldn’t be seen.

It seemed a powerful Barrier ensured only one Eight Trigrams could be drawn.

Soon, Chiwoo pulled one out.

“Tae.”

He didn’t hide it.

He openly revealed the Eight Trigrams he had drawn.

“That’s a pretty good trigram. But are you sure? No matter how strong your faith is, revealing it here isn’t recommended.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

If they attacked, he would crush them.

Besides, it was better for him to become bait.

Yula wasn’t the only one present.

…Eyes were watching from afar.

Scouts trying to see which Eight Trigrams they drew, and who would challenge them.

At least ten pairs of eyes were watching, openly or through special methods.

Chiwoo had declared war.

That he held Tae.

Park Chan-woo approached the chest slowly.

‘The test has already begun.’

He seemed to understand.

That drawing an Eight Trigrams from this chest was already the start.

Perhaps the Eight Trigrams weren’t equally distributed.

If there were equal numbers of each, there would be no need to compete.

Yula had also said Chiwoo’s draw was quite good.

Park Chan-woo closed his eyes and focused.

Which trigram would be the most special?

Soon, Park Chan-woo drew a slip of paper from inside the chest.

“Geon.”

“…!!”