Chapter 98

Tick! Tick!

Thud.

Khan’s head tumbled down the stairs.

In a single strike from Ajos, who had launched himself from the ground, the Great Conqueror Khan was decapitated.

For a moment, the palace fell into silence.

“…Is he dead?”

Lee Hyuk-soo asked tensely.

He had just felt Khan’s overwhelming presence moments ago.

With a mere word—”Kneel”—Lee Hyuk-soo had been on the brink of death.

Blood burst from his body, and the pressure nearly shattered every bone.

But Ajos, who had slain three Guardian Warriors, wielded strength far beyond imagination.

His unrelenting assault was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.

It wasn’t unthinkable that he could kill Conqueror Khan in a single blow.

[Got him.]

Just then—

The body of Khan, which had been slumping lifelessly, stood upright again and seized Ajos with both hands.

Even with his head severed, Conqueror Khan was alive.

And not only that—

Sssht.

Shlick. Shrrrip!

…The head atop the severed neck began regenerating. (T/N: Damn, I thought that was an anticlimatic ending for Khan.)

It was a sight too grotesque to watch.

Bones, blood vessels, and facial muscles regenerated as eyeballs bulged outward.

All of it layered with fresh skin—witnessed in real time by everyone present.

“He wasn’t dead…?”

Lee Hyuk-soo frowned.

It defied logic.

Regenerating a limb was one thing, but if the head was severed or the heart pierced, death was supposed to be instant.

They were certain he had died.

But he seized Ajos and began regenerating after his neck was cut.

That meant—he hadn’t died at all.

It had all been an act.

Feigning death to lower their guard and effortlessly capture Ajos.

“…Super Regeneration.”

Park Chan-woo muttered under his breath.

That regeneration process looked familiar.

It was remarkably similar to his own Grand Magic: [Super Regeneration].

The flow of Mana and the method of regeneration were on the same level.

Dragon God Sephiro could forcibly regenerate his entire body through transcendent Mana housed in twelve hearts.

The Mana output during regeneration was beyond comprehension.

Although the outcome was the same—instant regeneration—Sephiro wasn’t technically the owner of the spell [Super Regeneration].

But this Conqueror Khan was different.

That man truly possessed [Super Regeneration].

Just like Park Chan-woo.

However, the grade was on a whole different scale.

Park Chan-woo’s was merely [Unique] grade.

At best, it could regenerate something the size of a fingertip.

But Khan had regenerated his entire head.

That meant his was either [Ancient] grade, capable of regrowing an arm, or [Legendary] grade, able to regenerate even half a body.

And he hadn’t even died.

‘So if the grade of [Super Regeneration] increases… does it eventually grant immortality?’

It was an intriguing question.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

―GRAAAARGH!

SHRRRIP!

Khan tore Ajos’s shadow clean in half.

A horrifying display of strength.

At the same time, Ajos was forcibly unsummoned.

“Ghk!”

From the shockwave of Mana, Park Chan-woo coughed up blood.

His Mana felt completely drained.

Even standing was difficult.

Khan.

Now he understood why he was called the [Great Conqueror].

‘Impressive.’

…It was a brilliant performance.

He feigned vulnerability and gave up flesh in order to take bone.

“Tsk tsk. Already out of Mana? You relied too heavily on Ajos, didn’t you?”

Khan mocked, his regeneration now complete.

Ajos’s desperate final strike had been unexpected, but the outcome was inevitable from the start.

Warriors could never kill him.

They didn’t know how.

Even Master of the Moon Ahheta couldn’t kill him—only seal him.

This outcome was perfectly natural.

“Human challenger. Your method of solving the trials was fascinating. Humans may lack power, but you seem quite clever.”

Khan nodded to himself.

A new species had appeared in his territory.

The ‘update’ on them was already complete.

The Abyss expanded infinitely, always discovering new species.

And with each discovery, all entities within the Abyss automatically learned about them.

Especially in the ‘Second Night,’ which had taken place in his domain.

As king of that land, there was no way he wouldn’t know about those who tread upon it.

“I commend you. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to reach this far.”

He hadn’t expected much.

Many species had stepped into this land before.

But none had ever set foot inside the palace.

Yet now, mere humans had.

According to the update, they lacked notable abilities, had low levels, and were among the weakest and most pitiful creatures—and yet they reached the palace.

This human even solved all ten trials in completely unexpected ways.

Above all—

This attitude of trying to kill him transcended interest and sparked genuine curiosity.

Normally, when beings recognized the difference in power, they would flee or give up.

But this one wanted to ‘kill’ him.

Tap.

Khan descended the stairs.

He evaluated Park Chan-woo leisurely.

“Warriors are strong but lack brains. Demons are smart but cunning and treacherous. But you humans… wouldn’t you be a perfect blend under my rule?”

A good fit.

Humans were a rather appealing species for his rule.

Not all would be like this one, but if just a few were, then alongside the warriors of Valhalla, they could conquer countless lands.

Not in the style of demons, not in the style of warriors, but an entirely new interpretation.

Far better than the deceitful demons.

They had more courage too.

Perhaps that was humanity’s true ‘talent.’

Something even the Lords of the Abyss hadn’t grasped.

‘Irregularity.’

“You plan to invade Earth?”

Lee Hyuk-soo gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

It was obvious Khan was dangerous, even without firsthand experience.

His method of conquest would be violent.

If Khan began his conquest, Earth wouldn’t survive.

He was the type who would never spare the weak and powerless.

Naturally, his mother would be the most at risk.

Even though she regained consciousness at times, she was still bedridden and couldn’t move properly.

“Hm? Ah, there was another one.”

Khan smiled as if amused.

He hadn’t noticed.

Park Chan-woo’s presence was so overwhelming that he had completely overlooked Lee Hyuk-soo.

It was admirable that he stood in his way.

But weak.

Someone who couldn’t even look him in the eye.

He strained to keep his eyes open, but couldn’t compare to the other challenger.

“It’s not invasion. You’ll all come crawling beneath me on your own.”

Wordplay.

Forcing surrender through destruction and conquest.

That was Conqueror Khan’s method—making others kneel of their own volition.

He wasn’t originally a demon of the Abyss, so he had a different method of creating a [Creation Abyss].

The warriors of Valhalla had always expanded their domain through invasion.

As their king, Khan could freely manipulate the lands and powers he conquered.

Just like how he became a [Creator] by taking over a Lord’s domain in the Abyss.

That was Khan’s ultimate trait—his unique authority.

Tap.

“I am a Conqueror. The king who will conquer the entire Abyss. Now that I’ve returned, the Lords of the Abyss should tremble. Earth is nothing more than entertainment along the way.”

He descended the stairs.

Khan had no more urgency.

The challenger who wielded strange powers and summoned Ajos as a magic spell had exhausted his Mana.

There were no more means left to attack him.

And Earth was just the beginning.

His true goal was the conquest of the entire Abyss!

To make every Lord and the Twelve Species kneel—and become a god through the power of their lands.

Vrrrrrm!

As Khan drew closer, Lee Hyuk-soo’s body trembled violently.

An instinct he couldn’t suppress.

The fear of death.

Yet Lee Hyuk-soo did not back down.

He couldn’t.

It wasn’t just for his mother.

“…Run. I’ll try to buy us some time.”

It was because of the Prophet.

He must not die here.

Only the Prophet could bring hope for the future.

Earth’s fate rested in his hands.

‘I’m not the savior type.’

The Prophet had told Lee Hyuk-soo to become a ‘savior.’

But no matter how he thought about it, he wasn’t fit for such a noble role.

The real savior was the Prophet.

Only he could save the world.

And his mother.

“What a touching scene.”

Khan descended slowly, amused.

With a body trembling like that, could he even swing a sword properly?

Even if he could, there was no way such a weakling’s blade could pierce his body.

It had been a long time since he had so much fun.

He derived pleasure from crushing the weak.

Would that loyalty remain if he disassembled the body and scattered it across the ground?

Forcing someone to beg for their life could be equally delightful.

“Awaken.”

And then it happened.

FWOOOSH!

A blue aura surged around Park Chan-woo’s entire body.

It burst into flames like blue fire.

[Refreshing energy envelops your entire body.]

[All Mana has been restored.]

[The ‘Mystery’ of the Star of Arrogance has been activated.]

The full Mana recovery effect of the [Star of Arrogance] had been triggered!

Its [Mystery] had activated.

Now only one thing remained.

To resume the final battle.

Feeling Park Chan-woo’s restored Mana, Khan sneered.

“It’s pointless. Even if you summon Ajos again, you can’t beat me.”

Is that so?

Park Chan-woo raised one corner of his mouth.

He had figured it all out.

The Great Conqueror Khan.

Why he wouldn’t die. Why Master of the Moon Ahheta could only seal him.

He understood it all.

Now only one thing remained—

To kill him.

Park Chan-woo opened his mouth.

“Awaken, Charpham.”

It was not Ajos he was calling upon—but the dimensional interloper, Charpham.

And then—

Sssssss!

【Ah… finally. Finally!】

The one who had slumbered for ages in the negative realm, in the [Holy Grail of the Sealing God]—

【I have returned, you damnable world!】

—finally opened his eyes.