Chapter 75
There were 20 shelters in the Second Night.
Park Chan-woo hadn’t planned to destroy all the shelters.
If he did, he’d stand out too much.
The fugitives, the pursuers, Ahheta, and the other Creators would obviously try to track down who was responsible.
But after the appearance of the ‘Uninvited One’ and realizing that many high-ranking Creators were now interested in the ‘Second Night,’ he changed his mind.
He resolved to monopolize everything.
He would achieve overwhelming contribution points and engrave the dignity of humanity into their eyes!
Thanks to this, the qualification of ‘Stealthy Betrayer’ evolved into ‘Stealthy Destroyer.’
With the double reward option included.
The tenfold reward of the Masterpiece Map was doubled, allowing him to receive a total of twenty times the normal reward.
Even that was astonishing in itself.
‘…A Legendary Quest?’
The most surprising thing was the message at the end—‘Legendary Quest.’
It had never appeared before, and even before his regression, he’d seen the name only a handful of times.
‘I didn’t expect it to appear this soon.’
His heart started pounding.
He felt exhilarated.
Creators would hide various quests in their creative Abysses.
These were classified as ‘Secret Quests,’ ‘Hidden Quests,’ ‘Masterpiece Quests,’ and ordinary participants could never even know they existed.
Some even left private amusements called ‘Hidden Pieces’ that only they knew about.
But the ‘Legendary Quest’ was different.
This was not a quest prepared by the Lord of the Moon, Ahheta.
‘It’s a quest similar in context to an Easter Egg.’
‘Easter Egg’ was one of the rare keywords that pierced the Abyss.
A mystery that exists outside of all theory and common sense, one that cannot and should not be achieved.
Even Creators didn’t know what Easter Eggs were.
Not even the Great Nine Lords.
Park Chan-woo believed these were traces left behind in secret by the first god who created the Abyss.
And the ‘Legendary Quest’ carried a similar meaning to these Easter Eggs.
‘A Legendary Quest is one tied to the core narrative of the Abyss.’
It was something like an epic.
A story running through the entire Abyss.
A quest related to a hidden narrative that even Creators didn’t fully understand.
However, unlike an Easter Egg, the ‘Legendary Quest’ was announced to all participants as soon as it appeared.
Be in awe.
Someone is challenging a legend!
It meant: Join in those footsteps.
Soon, the details appeared.
《This ‘Second Night Abyss’ was originally the territory of another ancient existence.》
《Additionally, the 20 hidden ‘shelters’ served as seals that weakened that being’s power.》
《You who have broken all the seals alone!》
《You are granted the ‘Key of the Challenger.’》
《Find the traces left behind by the ‘Ancient Existence’ and open the door.》
《However, to open the door, you will need another ‘of your own kind.’》
《The location is marked on the ‘Masterpiece Map.’》
《……The remaining time in the ‘Second Night’ has been extended by 24 hours.》
《However, if the Legendary Quest challenger dies or fails the challenge, the ‘Night Abyss’ will end immediately.》
《If the challenger succeeds, all participants will receive the title ‘Witness to Legend.’》
—
At the same time.
In front of the eyes of every participant in the Second Night Abyss—
《The ‘Legendary Quest’ has appeared!》
《Someone is challenging a ‘Legend.’》
The message appeared.
But no one could help but tilt their heads in confusion.
“Legendary Quest?”
“What’s that?”
“Who’s doing it?”
They didn’t know who was challenging it, or what the challenge even was.
That wasn’t all.
《……The remaining time in the ‘Second Night’ has been extended by 24 hours.》
《If the Legendary Quest challenger dies or fails, the ‘Night Abyss’ ends immediately.》
《If the challenge is successful, all participants will receive the title ‘Witness to Legend.’》
The next message brought only shock and fear.
“Twenty-four hours more…?”
“What, so it won’t end until tomorrow?”
“What the hell is happening?”
It was pandemonium.
No one could understand.
The Night Abyss, as its name implied, only ran at night.
No one imagined it would suddenly be extended by an entire day.
It made the name ‘Night Abyss’ seem pointless.
Everyone who had been reeling with shock at the message now stared again at the final part.
“Wait. It says it gives a title?”
“What’s a title?”
“Damn! Titles are incredibly hard to get…!”
“If the challenge is completed, everyone gets one!”
“Whew!”
Those who knew the value of titles couldn’t help but get excited.
A title is another name for one’s identity, one of the many ways to increase your abilities.
But most ‘titles’ boosted stats or effects that couldn’t be increased by equipment or tools, so if you could get one, you absolutely had to.
For example: resistance by attribute, special effects, mental boosts, and more!
The benefits were countless, but only a tiny number of people ever received them.
That’s how hard they were to obtain.
“…They’re making a fuss.”
Looking at the message, Han Shin spoke.
His expression was somewhat displeased.
By now, a legion of 500 doppelgangers had formed behind him.
Anyone could see he was the protagonist of this ‘Second Night Abyss.’
No one dared think of opposing Han Shin.
Han Shin was the king of the Second Night.
…And yet, someone was attracting more attention than the king. Absurd.
Making a fuss over something that couldn’t even be completed.
‘The Legendary Quest is still an unattainable challenge for humanity.’
Han Shin had already mastered the Abyss system through his contract with the Lord of the Moon, Ahheta.
Of course, he also knew about the existence of the ‘Legendary Quest.’
But for humanity, which had not yet reached the Abyss’s core, it was a challenge beyond reach.
‘Legendary Quests only appear in the creative Abysses of renowned Creators.’
Demon Kings, Demon Gods, and the Great Nine Lords!
Such quests only occurred in the territories of those monsters who ruled the very core of the Abyss.
It seemed this ‘Night Abyss’ belonged to the Lord of the Moon, Ahheta, so a Legendary Quest had appeared by chance.
…He was a bit curious.
Who was it?
Who opened the Legendary Quest before him?
‘A mage.’
Han Shin turned his head.
A wide expanse of scorched land entered his sight.
Where a shelter once stood.
Someone had attacked it.
It was destroyed in a single attack.
Judging by the power and traces left, it was likely the work of a mage.
And this wasn’t the first time.
‘A skilled mage is selectively destroying shelters.’
But mages are an avoided class.
So many restrictions, weak stamina, and limited equipment—so few ever took the mage’s path.
Could there really be a mage among the humans capable of this?
The destroyed fugitive shelter meant the attacker was surely a pursuer, a human.
Tap.
At that moment.
Han Shin opened his mouth at the sound of footsteps.
“You’re late, Lee Hyuk-soo.”
“……”
His opponent was Lee Hyuk-soo.
He had approached, unafraid, even after seeing the 500-strong doppelganger legion.
He’d already sensed it in the Water God Dragon Abyss—this guy wasn’t right in the head.
But he acknowledged him.
Lee Hyuk-soo was the king of the First Night.
He had the skill and the talent.
Han Shin even wanted him at his side.
“Who do you think did it?”
“…Not sure.”
Lee Hyuk-soo looked at the scorched earth with an unreadable expression.
Then Han Shin spoke.
“Powerful lightning magic. The same magic as the one who killed the Water God Dragon before us.”
“I don’t really know.”
Lee Hyuk-soo played dumb.
But as soon as he saw, he knew.
‘The Prophet. It’s his magic. He’s here.’
He knew immediately that the destroyed shelter was the work of the Prophet’s magic.
The Prophet used the same overwhelmingly powerful lightning magic that had killed the Water God Dragon and vaporized the whole lake.
Han Shin’s guess was sharp, but Lee Hyuk-soo had no intention of revealing it.
For whatever reason, Han Shin was an extremely unpleasant person.
Moreover, Han Shin had gathered the fugitives’ symbols and formed a doppelganger legion.
‘Not killing doppelgangers means he let others die.’
A total of 500.
Could he have gathered such a force without sacrifice?
For a doppelganger to keep human form, the copied human must die.
That meant for those 500 doppelgangers to exist, at least 500 humans had died.
Even if Han Shin hadn’t killed them directly, he was likely complicit.
‘Han Shin is like an Incarnation.’
It wasn’t certain if Han Shin was truly an Incarnation.
But it seemed he was hiding a massive secret.
Unpleasant, uncomfortable, and somehow fundamentally unfair.
Every action he took felt hypocritical.
After Lee Hyuk-soo’s answer, Han Shin tilted his head.
“Really? Did I see it wrong?”
“…It could be the work of the ‘Uninvited One.’”
“Ah, there was that one too.”
Han Shin stroked his chin.
Not an impossible possibility.
In that moment, Han Shin’s eyes sharpened.
“Still not thinking of joining me?”
“No.”
A direct reply.
Even more resolute than before.
Han Shin gave a faint smile.
“If you won’t join me, does it matter if I kill you?”
He was smiling, but the killing intent was real.
If he couldn’t have him, he’d break him.
That seemed to be his intent.
Lee Hyuk-soo looked him straight in the eyes.
Five hundred doppelgangers, and Han Shin.
He couldn’t guarantee victory even in a 1-on-1, so if they fought, he would surely lose.
But—
Clang!
Lee Hyuk-soo gripped the Immortal King’s Greatsword.
With this, he answered Han Shin’s question.
He had no intention of running.
He would fight with everything he had.
“…Tsk, what a shame.”
Seeing Lee Hyuk-soo’s stance, Han Shin clicked his tongue.
It seemed they wouldn’t join forces—at least not now.
But it was a waste to kill him here.
What to do?
Should he try to win him over, slowly, over time?
After all, time was on his side.
The world, and the laws of the world, were all on his side.
Han Shin shrugged.
“Kidding. There’s no need for us to fight here. Instead, I’ll give you one piece of advice.”
At the same time, his smile disappeared.
Even the killing intent faded.
With utterly emotionless eyes, he looked at Lee Hyuk-soo.
“If you ever raise your sword at me again, your head will fall.”
With that, Han Shin turned away.
He left with his captives.
When Han Shin was out of sight—
“……”
Lee Hyuk-soo slowly lowered his sword.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded wildly.
…He’d never felt this before.
He’d faced plenty of monsters as enemies, but never had he felt such tension.
‘He’s hiding his true strength.’
He was sure of it.
Han Shin hadn’t shown his real power yet.
Even gathering those 500 doppelgangers was just a game to him.
If they fought for real, there was no way to win.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Maybe he was just too tense.
His body felt frozen and wouldn’t move.
Lee Hyuk-soo stood there for a long time.
“Hey.”
Tap.
…Until someone tapped him on the shoulder.
Lee Hyuk-soo frowned and turned his head, not having sensed anyone’s approach.
And—
“……!!!”
He quickly stepped back and grabbed the Immortal King’s Greatsword again.
Even against Han Shin, Lee Hyuk-soo had not revealed his emotions, but now he was deeply shaken and shouted out.
“You…!”
“Long time no see, Lee Hyuk-soo.”
A familiar face.
The one who appeared was none other than the Prophet.
His appearance had changed slightly, but it was unmistakably the Prophet.
But on his chest was the symbol of an ‘X.’
Lee Hyuk-soo’s eyes instantly became cold.
His expression turned icy.
Lee Hyuk-soo pointed his blade at the Prophet.
That was not the Prophet.
That was—
“…A doppelganger.”
A fugitive in the Prophet’s form, a doppelganger.