Chapter 311: The Fifth Return, Earth (7)
The monsters continued to appear.
Their numbers grew larger, and they became stronger. More people were dying, and the battlefield’s domain was gradually being pushed back.
Yet, Taesan still stood at the frontlines, crushing the monsters.
‘Boom!’
He stomped the ground, collapsing the earth beneath the monsters, causing them to fall underground.
He swung his sword, slicing them into pieces, and immediately kicked off again.
[You have activated Acceleration.]
[You have activated the skill Acceleration.]
‘Bang!’
Like a ballista, his accelerated body pierced through the monsters.
Dozens of monsters disappeared in a single blow.
Cheers erupted from those nearby.
“Taesan-nim!”
“Ooh! Please continue to protect us!”
Among those showing reverence to Taesan were players from China. A significant number of them displayed respect and admiration toward him.
[Your proficiency in Divine Power has increased by 1%.]
Even his Divine Power was beginning to rise steadily. Already, a considerable number of Chinese players were placing their faith in Taesan. Most of them, naturally, were easy mode players.
Chinese easy mode players had been granted the rank of slaves and lived as literal slaves. Their worship of Jinryong stemmed purely from his overwhelming power—nothing more, nothing less.
But Taesan displayed even greater power than that. Moreover, unlike Jinryong, he also protected them.
It was only natural for their faith to shift.
The slaves whispered amongst themselves about Taesan. The stories spread so widely that even those who had never seen Taesan began to believe in him.
Meanwhile, Minerva and Varkaza were also scattered across the battlefield, eliminating monsters.
Their monstrous strength only heightened the reverence directed at their master, Taesan.
Jinryong watched this shift in faith with gritted teeth.
“Pathetic wretches.”
He wanted to kill them all but couldn’t. They were still following his command not to speak with players from other countries.
They hadn’t directly violated any rules; they were merely worshiping Taesan. He couldn’t touch them carelessly.
But his emotions boiled.
His anger and frustration toward Taesan only grew stronger. Upon returning to his domain after clearing the monsters, Jinryong summoned the players.
“Wh-What brings you to summon us, Your Majesty?”
The hard mode players who had been called to Jinryong’s domain swallowed nervously.
Although they were not as strong as Jinryong’s elite guard, they took pride in their power. In fact, even Jinryong’s elite guard couldn’t easily defeat them.
Yet now, they trembled. Among the nobles, rumors spread of people who never returned after meeting Jinryong.
People dismissed the rumors as nonsense, saying they likely died fighting monsters. But deep inside, fear lingered.
Jinryong, seated on his throne, spoke to them.
“Become mine.”
Power erupted.
Dark energy consumed the tent. They tried to flee in terror, but it was futile. Unable to resist, they were swallowed whole by Jinryong’s power.
‘Rumble.’
A sound, like something being devoured, echoed as the power receded.
The strength of the hard mode players he consumed mixed within him.
‘Ugh.’
Jinryong shook his head after absorbing the power. His head throbbed as if it might split. Ever since a certain point, every time he absorbed life, nausea overwhelmed him.
Suppressing his headache, Jinryong unleashed his power.
The explosive force spread outward, clearly stronger than before.
With this power…
Jinryong bared his teeth.
Yet even so, it was still out of reach.
[Taesan has activated Marbas’s Pitch-Black Wave.]
The black wave surged forward, as if to engulf the entire world. It crushed and obliterated all the monsters.
All eyes turned to Taesan. They gasped in admiration and awe.
Beside him, Jinryong shattered dozens of monsters simultaneously, but his presence was completely forgotten.
Jinryong’s face hardened.
People’s faith was steadily shifting toward Taesan.
And Taesan’s proficiency in Divine Power visibly increased, reaching 60%.
[Divine Power]
[Proficiency: 60%]
[The power of the gods. Originally meaningless, it gained significance as the faith of many people converged, becoming Divine Power. Their beliefs and worship shaped it into a force capable of influencing the world.]
“Faster than I expected.”
He had anticipated reaching 60%, but it had only been four days since he began the quest. The overwhelming number of Chinese players accelerated the process.
As Taesan reviewed his skills, Kim Hwiyeon, who was resting, approached him.
“Taesan-ssi, what are you doing?”
“Checking my skills.”
“Skills?”
Instead of answering, Taesan raised his hand.
‘Buzz.’
A golden light materialized above his palm. Kim Hwiyeon’s eyes widened.
“Huh…?”
The light itself wasn’t surprising. The light from Taesan’s Star Arrow had been so brilliant it felt like it could burn one’s eyes.
In contrast, this golden light seemed fragile, as if it could extinguish at any moment.
But Kim Hwiyeon was startled for another reason.
“There’s no activation window?”
Before using a skill, an activation system window always appeared. But now, even though Taesan was clearly using a skill, no such window appeared.
“And…”
Kim Hwiyeon stared at the golden light as if entranced.
The light was weak, as if it might disappear if she blocked it with her hand.
Yet, as she gazed at it, something swelled within her chest.
A pure sense of awe. A feeling of faith emerged. She wanted to bow her head and worship the light.
There was no compulsion.
It was simply what her heart desired.
“What… is that? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
It wasn’t an ordinary skill. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.
”Taesan replied.”
“Your faith. Strictly speaking, it’s not the first time.”
Rakiratas and the Demon God had descended to Earth before. However, Kim Hwiyeon had been too weak to properly sense their divinity, so she perceived this as her first experience.
“What? What does that mean…”
She started to ask again but closed her mouth midway.
“…People’s faith?”
“You’re quick to understand.”
“Hah.”
Kim Hwiyeon let out a hollow laugh.
“This is hard to believe. Is something like that even possible?”
“Normally, it wouldn’t be. But I’m an exception.”
Taesan had obtained Divine Power by defeating the angel of a god in Vekeseta. That allowed him to gather and unify the power of people’s faith.
If not for that, the power of faith from the people would have scattered aimlessly, as it did with Jinryong.
Now, what could he accomplish with this golden light?
Taesan glanced at Kim Hwiyeon. Her weary face betrayed her exhaustion, her entire body slightly trembling.
“Are you here to rest?”
“Ah, yes. I’m quite worn out.”
She massaged her arm. Kim Hwiyeon and the other Korean players in Solo and Hard Modes had been fighting monsters with all their might. They had pushed themselves to their limits, barely managing to take a break.
“Stay still for a moment.”
Taesan sent the golden light toward her. The faint pillar of light surrounded her entire body.
“What are you… Huh?”
Kim Hwiyeon’s eyes widened.
The pallor of her face started to regain color. Her spasming muscles ceased trembling.
Her mind, which had been at its breaking point, found clarity, and her energy began to return.
“Huh…”
Even her depleted stamina was being restored after the relentless battles.
Kim Hwiyeon was visibly astonished.
“This… How is this possible?”
Physical and mental exhaustion could typically only be recovered through leveling up or drinking the spring water of a labyrinth.
Taesan observed her transformation with intrigue.
“Stamina and fatigue recovery, huh. It doesn’t seem to restore everything, though.”
Unlike leveling up, which fully replenished stamina and fatigue, this restoration was only partial. However, it was enough for her to fight again.
After examining her briefly, Taesan invoked Divine Power once more. The golden light appeared but was weaker than before.
‘I can’t use this too often.’
The total amount of Divine Power was limited. Moreover, the consumption rate seemed to vary depending on the strength of the recipient. For someone at Kim Hwiyeon’s level, he could heal a hundred individuals without issue, but for someone at his level, a single use would nearly deplete it.
Though the constant influx of faith would gradually replenish it, it would take some time.
Even so, it was an incredible power. In the heat of labyrinth battles, it was often difficult to find an opportunity to use potions. With Divine Power, he could recover stamina at least once.
While the exact effects would need further testing in the labyrinth, its utility was evident. Even the ghost marveled at it.
[To think that you, who haven’t even reached the level of a god, are wielding a power reserved for deities. Truly ironic.]
“Taesan-ssi, this is incredible…”
Kim Hwiyeon murmured, dazed.
“You’re like the god of Earth.”
Even Kim Hwiyeon, who didn’t view Taesan as a god, couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
Seeing her reaction, Taesan stroked his chin.
Judging by her response, the mere sight of Divine Power could inspire reverence and worship.
So, what would happen if he spread this power across the battlefield?
The thought lasted only a moment before he sprang into action. While defeating monsters, Taesan unleashed Divine Power. Those on the frontlines, on the verge of collapsing, found new vitality from the golden light.
“Oooooh!”
“Divine One! Divine One!”
The people cried out in awe at the golden light. Their stamina was restored, their fatigue vanished, and the overwhelming sense of reverence emanating from the light overwhelmed them.
Even those who had doubted Taesan’s strength now bowed their heads at the sight of his Divine Power. Their faith in him grew stronger.
“Master, at this rate, you might even attain proper divinity.”
Even Minerva, who had been watching, let out a hollow laugh. Taesan’s Divine Power continued to grow stronger.
Meanwhile, the news reached Jinryong, who was teetering on the edge of madness.
“Silence!”
Jinryong roared at the messenger who had delivered the news. His voice trembled with rage.
“I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
“If you’ve committed a sin worthy of death, then die!”
With a burst of power, Jinryong devoured the messenger in an instant.
‘Pant, pant.’
Jinryong’s breaths came heavily.
No one was left around him. Even those who used to flatter him or whom he favored enough to keep by his side had gradually distanced themselves as Jinryong’s temper worsened.
‘Grit.’
Jinryong ground his teeth.
The respect and reverence people once held for him were fading.
In their place, fear and distrust were taking root.
This infuriated Jinryong beyond measure.
“How dare they!”
These foolish people!
They had forgotten who had protected them all this time, lured by such paltry power!
The amalgamation of power within Jinryong began to seep into his mind, consuming him.
Jinryong was on the verge of madness.
Though he clung to his sanity by a thread, that thread was wearing thin.
He had even devoured his own elite guard, those he had personally chosen to protect him.
Though his newfound strength allowed him to annihilate monsters, the fear people felt toward him only grew.
Rumors about the disappearance of players summoned by Jinryong spread further.
Time passed, and the final day arrived.
The monsters had vanished. The battlefield was eerily quiet, as if everything had ended.
But no one was relieved.
Instead, they gripped their weapons tightly in fear.
Then, the passage opened.
Countless dark, dense pathways appeared beyond the battlefield.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves!”
Kim Hwiyeon shouted fiercely as the fractured pathways widened, revealing the monsters.
[Monster 351 has appeared.]
[Monster 121 has appeared.]
[Monster 945 has appeared.]
Dozens of A-rank monsters emerged, their sheer presence causing people’s faces to turn pale. Even without understanding their numerical strength, they could sense the overwhelming power radiating from the monsters.
‘Boom!’
The ground shook.
A massive, jet-black giant, as tall as a mountain, appeared.
Holding a massive club, the giant looked down upon the humans and opened its mouth.
—
A deafening roar echoed. People clutched their ears in pain. Even their bodies, trained in the labyrinth, trembled, unable to endure the sound.
[Monster 14 has appeared.]
