Chapter 387
Kim Hwiyeon followed Hassan. Before long, six people gathered in a secluded area—Kang Taesan, Geum Jung-geun, Lee Taeyeon, Kang Junhyuk, Kim Hwiyeon, and Hassan.
“Huh? Isn’t that India’s leader? We couldn’t even meet him before, so what brings him here?”
Geum Jung-geun’s eyes widened at the sight of Hassan. Having also tried to engage with India, he understood the gravity of the situation. Hassan gave a bitter smile.
“Hello.”
“Since you don’t seem hostile toward us, Hassan, let me ask—why are the Indian players so intent on rejecting us?”
Kim Hwiyeon’s question was met with silence.
Hassan looked at her, Taesan, and Lee Taeyeon, then opened his mouth as if he had made a decision.
“Before that, I have a request.”
“A request…?”
“May I duel with Mr. Taesan?”
“…What?”
Kim Hwiyeon was taken aback. Hassan stared unwaveringly at Taesan.
Taesan nodded.
“I don’t mind.”
“Thank you.”
Hassan drew his sword, his expression turning serious as he released his strength.
“Oh.”
“That’s quite…”
Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyuk admired his power. While not at their level, it was still not to be taken lightly. It was strength that could only be attained upon reaching the 40th floor.
“Mr. Taesan could easily defeat someone like me. So I ask—please face me with your full strength.”
“Alright.”
Taesan accepted.
As the duel was established, Hassan moved with a solemn face.
“Ah…”
But he froze on the spot.
Taesan had done nothing—just looked at him.
That alone caused Hassan’s entire body to tremble like a leaf. Cold sweat drenched his body.
“A-ah… ah…”
Eventually, Hassan rolled his eyes back and collapsed. Shocked, Kim Hwiyeon rushed to catch him.
“Mr. Taesan? What did you do?”
“A simple pressure.”
Using his will, he showed Hassan what he was capable of. That alone shattered Hassan’s mental defenses and made him faint.
Lee Taeyeon clicked his tongue. A 40th-floor player collapsed without resistance—just from pressure alone.
They weren’t much different. Even though they shared the same difficulty level, his power was on another plane altogether.
Hassan regained consciousness shortly after.
He blankly stared at Taesan before smiling bitterly.
“And even with a monster like you, things have ended up like this. As I thought, something’s twisted.”
“…You’re trying to cooperate with us, right?”
“Yes. I am. The rest are another story.”
Hassan exhaled to steady his nerves.
“Though I’m technically their leader, I have no real power. I’m just a decorative figure.”
“What does that…”
“Where should I start…”
Hassan scratched his head, his face conflicted.
“I’ll begin from the start. After the world broke and monsters appeared, we desperately tried to survive. But people’s minds grew increasingly worn. Even those who managed to live ended up committing suicide.”
Kim Hwiyeon nodded. They were no different. A peaceful world had collapsed, and now they had to fight for their lives. Many couldn’t accept it and broke down.
“We survived the crisis and continued living. The monsters weren’t that strong.”
Since all the power had been concentrated in Korea, other countries had it easier. Indian players could still look forward to the future.
“The problem started from there. The caste system began to reemerge.”
“The caste system? I heard that was mostly gone these days.”
“It was. But after the world collapsed and the law lost all meaning, society began reverting to the past. People started discriminating against and oppressing each other.”
“The caste system… you mean Brahmin and Kshatriya?”
“Yes. The highest caste is Brahmin. Below that is Kshatriya. Then comes Vaishya, Shudra, and finally the untouchables—the Chandala. Those in the upper two castes began gathering to seize power.”
“That’s kind of strange, don’t you think?”
Geum Jung-geun, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
“I don’t like to say this, but the dungeons are incredibly fair. Strength is what matters, so caste doesn’t really mean anything. How could a caste system even exist? I don’t think that’s possible.”
It had been the same in Korea. During the First Return, politicians and NGO members had tried to exert power using their societal influence, but they were all killed by monsters. Earth’s social hierarchy held no meaning in this broken world.
But Hassan shook his head.
“That’s how it was at first. The caste system had shattered, and everyone was equal. But… the Hard mode Brahmins and Kshatriyas began to move.”
Hassan bit his lip.
“They brought the Hard mode Vaishyas and Shudras over to their side.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Geum Jung-geun understand.
“In modern India, the caste system was breaking down. But many didn’t like that. They saw the dungeons as an opportunity and rallied people to their cause.”
Join us, and you can seize power too.
Your descendants will forever be treated as nobles and royalty.
We have that kind of power. We deserve it.
That was their declaration.
“The world had already collapsed. Those with power deep down desired inequality. And with their cooperation, a perfect caste system was rapidly established. Since it all happened within Hard mode, I couldn’t intervene.”
And thus, in India, the caste system had fully returned.
“It’s different from China’s situation.”
In China, the hierarchy was built under an overwhelming powerhouse—Jinryong. No matter how high your position, you were still beneath him.
But India was different. There, the caste system had been revived through the cooperation of the majority of Hard mode players.
Their discipline was that firm, and it wouldn’t be easily broken.
“We had the luxury to seek something beyond mere survival. In truth, Hard mode players could defeat monsters without much difficulty. That reality solidified the caste system in India.”
Hassan spoke as if spitting the words out.
“They began defining caste and manipulating religion as they pleased. There were a few who opposed it, but their numbers and strength were too great to resist.”
“Did they try to recruit you as well, Hassan?”
“They did. But I refused.”
Hassan replied bitterly.
“I was from the lowest caste—Chandala. Accepting their terms would’ve made life easier for me, but it would’ve caused suffering for my companions and friends. Above all, people should be equal. We must not divide ourselves by caste.”
Hassan said this with firm conviction, as if it were a truth that must never be violated.
Taesan looked at him.
There was no unique energy around him. He wasn’t supported by a god like Amelia was.
He had reached the 40th floor relying entirely on his own strength. In some ways, he surpassed even Lee Taeyeon or Kang Junhyuk.
But Taesan hadn’t seen Hassan in his past life.
There was only one answer.
Hassan was a good man. And good men are often the first to give up their lives for others.
In his past life, he must have died on Earth for the sake of someone else.
“I stood against them. But I didn’t have the strength to defeat them all. If a real conflict broke out, someone would end up dead. I didn’t want that, so I kept yielding little by little.”
As a result, Hassan lost his voice in the community.
“They pretend to respect me as the strongest player, but they still despise me as a lowborn. Foreign players who joined us were also classified as Chandala. Right now, India is the toy of the Hard mode players.”
“…Seo Jangsan would love hearing this.”
Kim Hwiyeon gave a bitter smile. Seo Jangsan, one of Korea’s Hard mode players, had tried to do something similar. If Taesan hadn’t stopped him, he might have succeeded.
“But I can tolerate things up to that point. At least many people are still alive.”
Hassan’s face twisted.
“But now the situation is different.”
He turned to Taesan.
“You’re a monster. Stronger than any being I’ve ever encountered. And yet, the world hasn’t been saved by you.”
Given the strength of the monsters invading India, that should have been impossible. Taesan alone should’ve been able to wipe them out.
The fact that he hadn’t meant only one thing.
“The monsters we’ve faced so far were merely fragments. The real monsters were targeting you. That’s why we had the luxury of time.”
“You’re well-informed. That’s correct.”
“…I see.”
Hassan bowed his head gloomily. He had guessed right, but the situation was too dire for him to feel any satisfaction.
“At this rate, the players in India won’t survive.”
Without Taesan, there was no chance of survival.
That was exactly why Hassan had come here, evading the eyes of the Brahmins.
“I’ve been trying to convince them somehow, but they won’t listen. They’re unwilling to let go of the power they hold.”
“That’s why you came to us.”
“Yes. Please—I beg you. Help us. Help prevent so many lives from being lost.”
Hassan pleaded earnestly.
While everyone remained silent, deep in thought, Taesan finally spoke.
“What kind of help are you asking for?”
“…What?”
“I could crush the Hard mode players with force and save them. But then what changes?”
“That’s…”
Hassan couldn’t answer.
“If I beat them down and rule by power, will they listen to me? In the end, it just replaces the caste with me as an absolute ruler. It doesn’t solve the root problem.”
“You haven’t found a solution yourself, and now you’re expecting us to find one? Go back. Come to me again when you’ve found your own answer.”
Hassan was speechless at Taesan’s words.
—
“Mr. Taesan… is there no way?”
After Hassan trudged off, Kim Hwiyeon cautiously asked. Taesan looked up at the crack in the sky and replied.
“What do you mean, ‘no way’?”
“Maybe you could use your strength to make them follow you…”
“I told you already. That doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. Sure, they’d survive for now, but nothing would really change.”
Taesan spoke.
“I’ll save people. But I won’t save everyone.”
Kim Hwiyeon couldn’t respond.
She knew it too. It was impossible to save everyone. And she had no right to demand that of Taesan.
“Don’t worry. That doesn’t mean I’ll just leave them alone.”
Taesan said.
He wasn’t a saint or a savior.
Still, he intended to save as many people as he could. If he had only ever cared about efficiency, the number of survivors would’ve been far fewer than it was now.
But if he was going to save them anyway, it was better to do it in a way that also benefited him.
Taesan gathered the divinity flowing into him.
His presence kept pressing against the edge of the boundary. Faster than he’d anticipated.
‘Is it because I’m a native of this world?’
The world that had been driven to the brink of destruction by the Old Gods. Taesan was not born there. Because of that, the faith that gathered there was degraded.
But Earth was different. Taesan was born and raised here. And now, he was being worshiped by humans of Earth. That faith was deeper and more fundamental.
‘At this rate…’
There was a chance he could cross the boundary during this Return.
Taesan was ready to act for that purpose.
Time passed.
Hassan desperately tried to persuade the Brahmins, but they only mocked and ridiculed him.
A weak coward. A traitor trying to join hands with the faithless. They claimed they would perfectly repel the Wave and prove how weak that man named Taesan truly was.
Hassan never gave up, but nothing changed. The Brahmins, who had never experienced it for themselves, had no intention of relinquishing their power.
Eventually, time passed without any progress.
People formed ranks to prepare for the Wave. The Brahmins standing at the front of the formation waited for it with confident smiles.
They planned to clean up the monsters quickly and return to enjoying their power. That was all they were thinking about.
And then, the monsters appeared.
[Wave begins.]
[Uwooooooh!]
[Monster 987 has appeared.]
[Monster 378 has appeared.]
[Monster 148 has appeared.]
—
India’s Easy and Normal mode players waited anxiously for the Wave. Many prayed, hoping for salvation from their gods.
But on the front lines, the Hard mode players showed no sign of fear or worry. Their faces were full of laughter, as if they were playing a game.
“Who’s going to take down the most monsters this time?”
“Want to bet? Whoever takes down the most gets 200 gold and a thousand Chandala.”
“A thousand? That’s too few. At least ten thousand. It’s a festival, after all—we should go big.”
They wagered people like property. And no one among them thought there was anything strange about that.
They held absolute power. No one could stop or interfere with them.
The reason was simple—they had power.
Ever since they had acquired a certain level of strength, they’d rarely put their lives on the line on Earth.
Each of them could take down dozens of monsters alone. And they did so without a scratch.
With over a million Hard mode players, they could sweep through the monsters with ease.
They didn’t need anyone else.
Easy and Normal players were completely useless.
That confidence only further twisted their beliefs.
“What do we do about Hassan? He seems to be trying to work with another group.”
“Leave him alone. It’s not like we’re attacking him directly. We can turn a blind eye to that much.”
Hassan may have been alone, but he was still the strongest player. Taking him down directly would come at too great a cost. As long as he kept yielding, they had no plans to touch him.
One of them curled his lips.
“Besides, before long, that group will be ours too.”
Laughter echoed in agreement.
“Just a bunch of cowards worshipping a single human. We’ll crush them easily.”
“Once they see how we handle the monsters, they’ll be begging to become our slaves.”
Having followed the community, they were aware of the situation in Korea. That’s why they mocked and ridiculed the Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese.
To be unable to survive without relying on one man—how utterly pathetic.
Sure, Taesan might be strong, but they assumed he was around the same level as Hassan.
If that were the case, they could easily trample him with sheer numbers.
They were already planning to swallow up Russia and Korea during this Return.
Just as they were dreaming of a rosy future, the Wave began.
“Let’s clean this up quickly.”
As space expanded, the monsters appeared.
Most of them weren’t anything special—just like the monsters they had always faced.
But among them were monsters they had never seen before.
[Uwooooooh!]
[Monster 987 has appeared.]
[Monster 378 has appeared.]
[Monster 148 has appeared.]
“…Huh?”
“Three digits?”
A moment of panic crossed the faces of the Indian players.
The highest they had seen were four-digit monsters.
Four-digit monsters were certainly powerful, but not life-threatening. If they worked together, they could handle them.
“…First time seeing three digits.”
“There probably won’t be much of a difference.”
They felt a bit of tension, but nothing more.
Even if they were three-digit monsters, they were confident they could overwhelm them.
They had no doubt.
The Hard mode players charged toward the monsters.
The monsters silently stared at them.
“Die!”
The one in the lead drew his weapon.
He was the same man who had proposed the bet earlier.
The monster moved.
His head separated from his body.
“Huh?”
[Ooooohhhh.]
With a deafening roar, an explosion erupted.
India’s Hard mode players were scattered in every direction like grenade shrapnel.
