Chapter 516
[Return to Earth].
Taesan’s eyes gleamed.
There had been seven returns so far, and by clearing every quest, all of humanity had finally gathered in one place.
Now, there was only one task left for the next return.
Cleaning up Earth.
And removing the hole in the sky.
“Faster than I thought.”
The Magician agreed quietly.
“I didn’t think it would happen until you were nearing the late 90s floors. But recently, something feels off.”
“Off?”
“The Rift torn open on your planet.”
A massive hole blanketing the sky.
“It’s slowly growing.”
Taesan’s eyes darkened.
“When you think about it, Earth doesn’t belong to our side or theirs. It’s neutral ground. That’s why we’re watching it so closely… but this is strange.”
The Magician’s expression was uncertain, as if he didn’t understand it fully either.
“Something is distorted. It doesn’t seem like it’s just the Old God’s doing, but I can’t be sure.”
“You don’t know either?”
“We’ve been busy with too many matters lately. Those damn things keep crawling over, and we have no breathing room. So it’s better to clean up whatever you can beforehand.”
He looked at Taesan.
“Return to Earth and seal the Rift in the sky. That’s the purpose of this quest.”
Closing the Rift.
It was essentially the finishing blow. Taesan nodded.
“Alright. How do I close it?”
He had closed the Rift in his past life as well. Back then, they’d thought they’d won, but it had been nothing more than the Old God’s trick.
When he moved through the distorted timeline using the Fragment of Ouroboros, he had struck the Rift with everything he had.
At that moment, the Rift had opened.
Something had emerged, grabbed the Boundary Line, and crushed it.
A guardian of the Rift, most likely. For it to trample the Boundary Line—it must have been on the Old God’s level. Was it even possible to close a Rift protected by such a being?
“You don’t have to worry about that. This time, you won’t be alone.”
“We won’t be alone?”
“There will be those sent to help you.”
The Magician’s voice lowered.
“They will help you close the Rift.”
“Transcenders?”
“No. Transcenders can’t intervene there. You know that.”
Earth was neutral ground. If a Transcender intervened, the Old God would also be allowed in.
“So, we’re sending messengers. We’ll give them something useful to pass on to you. Make good use of it.”
The Magician’s tone didn’t shift.
“You can do whatever you want with the messengers. As you please. We won’t interfere.”
There was weight behind those words. Taesan accepted them.
“I understand.”
“Then I’ll watch from afar.”
“You’re leaving already?”
“I told you. I’m busy. I’ve got a mountain of things to deal with.”
The Magician grumbled as he opened a space. With half his body already stepping out, he turned back.
“I don’t know how it’ll end… but I’m looking forward to it. As always.”
“Alright.”
The Magician vanished. Two days remained. Enough if used well, far too little otherwise. Taesan opened the community.
As expected, it was lively. People from all over the world chatted, shared thoughts, and encouraged each other.
There was little fear now.
Hope of victory.
And faith in Taesan.
Those stood out the most.
After watching for a moment, Taesan opened a separate chat.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: How is everyone?］
［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Ah, you’re here?］
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: Taesan! You came!］
［Geum Jung-geun［Hard］: Hyungnim. You’ve arrived.］
It was a window where key players from each country gathered.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What’s the total number right now?］
［Kim Hwi-yeon［Hard］: I need a detailed count… but roughly 160 million, I think.］
［Oliver Kahn［Hard］: That’s a lot.］
［Daniel Darmont［Hard］: Should we call that a lot…?］
［Oliver Kahn［Hard］: I expected under 100 million. This is more than enough.］
Oliver was right. 150 million was more than enough survivors.
They continued discussing. Around 25 million in Hard Mode, 65 million in Normal, and 80 million in Easy.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What floors is everyone at?］
［Oliver Kahn［Hard］: Depends on the country, but Hard Mode players are mid-70s to early-80s. Normal Mode is around the 90s floors. Easy Mode is about to clear.］
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: No one has cleared it yet, right?］
［Kim Hwi-yeon［Hard］: No. No one wants to leave now.］
That was the right choice. If Easy Mode players left now, they would only run and die. Better to wait inside the Labyrinth until everyone could leave together.
In his past life, countless players had gone out alone—and died alone.
Taesan would not watch that happen again.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Don’t let anyone leave until I permit it.］
［Kim Hwi-yeon［Hard］: Understood.］
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What about Lee Taeyeon, Amelia, and Jun-hyuk, and the other Solo Mode players?］
［Kang Jun-hyuk［Solo］: 69th floor.］
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: 76th.］
Many Solo Mode players reported being in the 60s floors.
‘Faster than I thought.’
The Magi and magic Taesan had given them. The help of the spirits. It all showed.
Then it was Lee Taeyeon’s turn, and everyone froze.
［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: 83rd floor.］
［Kang Jun-hyuk［Solo］: Wow.］
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: …Ridiculously fast.］
83rd floor—the mid-deep levels.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: You managing?］
［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Barely. It’s rough… but doable.］
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Good. Don’t push too hard.］
［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Do I look like the type who would?］
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: I guess not.］
Taesan chuckled. Lee Taeyeon had changed—but at her core, she was still the same.
Amelia interjected, annoyed.
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: Taesan. What about you? What floor are you on?］
［Oliver Kahn［Hard］: I’m curious too. Late 80s?］
［Kim Hwi-yeon［Hard］: If it’s Taesan… he might already be in the 90s.］
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: 90s? Even if it’s him—］
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: 94th floor.］
Silence.
The noisy community went completely still.
Taesan typed again.
［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Return is in two days. Prepare yourselves.］
—
The community buzzed with strategies—how to settle in after the return, how to organize, what to expect.
Taesan closed the window and opened his skills.
［Special Activation Skill: Forced Attainment］
［Mana Consumption: 5］
［Proficiency: 1%］
［You can forcibly reach the goal you desire. However, the goals you can set are limited, and you bear all penalties and risks required to achieve the goal.］
He already understood Multiplication.
But Forced Attainment was new. He needed to test it before the return.
“Hmm.”
[You have activated Forced Attainment.]
Taesan set a goal and triggered the skill.
Smear—
The Boundary Line manifested.
Gray ash flowed out, covering Taesan. And it didn’t stop. It continued pouring out, devouring the space.
The Boundary Line filled the 94th floor.
Then it expanded further—crossing floors, climbing stairs, spreading everywhere.
[Uh.]
Bardray felt something was wrong. The Boundary Line Taesan now wielded wasn’t the same as before.
Until now, it had been alien and dangerous, but still under Taesan’s control. Not anymore. It was spreading beyond him.
“So this is how it feels.”
Taesan retrieved the Boundary Line.
With that, he had a rough grasp of how to use Forced Attainment.
“Not bad.”
If used properly, it could change the outcome of an entire battle. He knew what he needed to do for the next two days—plan and calculate how to wield the skill.
Time passed quickly.
And after two days, they began the return to Earth.
［Amelia Aerin［Solo］: Alright. Let’s go!］
［Kim Hwi-yeon［Hard］: Everyone, survive.］
Community posts flew rapidly.
One name caught Taesan’s attention.
［Lee Deok-soo［Easy］: Ugh. It’s always scary.］
‘He made it.’
Taesan smiled faintly. As the space opened, his body slipped out of the Labyrinth.
He stepped forward.
He heard the gasps and steady breaths of countless people. Countless eyes were fixed on him.
They had returned.
To their home.
—
［Special Quest Started］
［This quest is for all of humanity.］
［Gather the survivors, create rules, and establish order.］
［No time limit.］
A quest appeared. The first goal was simple—gather the people. Leaders from each country shouted.
“Everyone, gather here!”
“Players of the United States, this way!”
People followed calmly. It was the eighth return—they all knew the process.
Taesan watched from a distance.
Thud.
“Taesan-nim. It has been a while.”
“It has.”
Diana and Beldenkia approached. Diana glanced at Amelia and Lee Taeyeon and murmured in awe.
“They’ve grown stronger. Significantly. If they attacked together… I can’t say for sure that I’d win.”
“Everyone’s working hard.”
They were risking their lives in the Labyrinth. Their growth was slow, but certain.
After a while, order was fully established.
“It’s done.”
“That was fast.”
Over a hundred million people. Even for superhumans, organizing them should take a day or more, yet they finished within hours. Kim Hwi-yeon spoke proudly.
“Everyone is used to it. And more importantly—because Taesan-nim is here.”
All players on Earth revered him. With such an absolute figure leading them, who would complain?
Kim Hwi-yeon clenched his fist.
“It will be dangerous again, but if we work together, we can overcome it.”
The moment he finished, a system window appeared.
[Special Quest Completed.]
[Special Quest Started.]
[Guardians will appear. Speak with them, coordinate, and join forces.]
“Huh?”
“Guardians?”
Before confusion could settle, they arrived.
Kiiiiing!
A sacred radiance fell from the sky.
People shielded their eyes.
“That is…”
“A passage.”
Taesan muttered.
The golden column was a passageway.
Kiiiiing…
As the light dimmed, hundreds of figures emerged.
Warriors. Magicians. Their armor told stories of battles fought and enemies conquered.
‘Strong.’
Every one of them possessed tremendous power. And the one leading them was on another level entirely.
“Uh…”
“Wh-what’s happening?”
People were bewildered. Diana’s reaction, however, carried something sharper.
“Guardians…”
Her face twisted with aversion.
The hundreds of beings approached Taesan. The leader stepped forward and bowed.
“An honor to meet you, great one. We are the Guardians.”
Clang!
Those behind him moved as one, taking a flawless stance.
Such unity could never be forged in a year or two.
The man spoke calmly.
“I am Akrasian. By the will of the great ones, I have come to aid you.”