Chapter 601
[Humanity will perish.]
With that dry and short warning, the first apocalypse encompassing the entire Tower began to take shape.
From that moment on, unimaginable chaos swept across the world.
And of course, it made sense.
Every previous outbreak had already cost countless lives, only barely contained after tremendous sacrifice.
But this time, if they failed—every horrifying, powerful being that existed only inside the Tower could come pouring out.
In short, humanity might truly be wiped out. It was no wonder that every nation had gone into emergency mode.
And now—
Inside a top-secret facility in Seocho District, Seoul, a meeting had been ongoing for over ten hours.
The same discussions repeated endlessly, with no progress in sight.
“Sigh… this is giving me a headache.”
Han Sangjin, the president of the Korean Awakeners’ Association, let out a deep sigh.
Beside him sat representatives from various guilds, including Dangun and Balhae, as well as newly risen powerhouses.
“We keep getting pressure from other countries. They’re demanding to know what we’re going to do. Damn it, as if we’ve got some magic solution.”
“Still, a decision must be made.”
“Right. We only have six and a half days left.”
“In the end… there’s only one option.”
Though most were reluctant to say it out loud, everyone knew the most certain way to prevent humanity’s extinction.
They had to join forces to kill the fake Kang Jinhyuk.
Of course, by “fake,” they meant the one hiding inside Signiel.
Bang!
Yoo Cheonyeong shot to his feet.
“What nonsense is this?! You want us to attack Signiel just because of the words of some masked man? There’s no proof that his claims are true! If you ask this old man, it’s that troublemaker who’s the real fake!”
“The elder isn’t wrong. But from our side, the Unknown—no, Player Kang Jinhyuk—is cooperating fully. He even surrendered his weapons.”
“We checked the confiscated equipment, and the structure and design matched perfectly with those registered in the Hall of Fame.”
“Same goes for ability verification. He used identical skills and unique abilities like ice and fire.”
“Meanwhile, the Signiel side remains silent despite our summons. If you’re opposing this because your granddaughter might be held hostage…”
“What? Are you implying my judgment’s clouded because of Yeonhwa?”
Rumble!
Killing intent burst from Yoo Cheonyeong’s body, choking the air around them.
“Have you already forgotten how much Player Kang Jinhyuk sacrificed for us?”
“I agree. I’d rather die than stab him in the back.”
The opposing side didn’t back down either.
Magic flared as both sides glared, tension thick enough to snap.
At this rate, a civil war would break out before the meeting concluded.
“Enough! Stop this! You all know fighting among ourselves won’t solve anything!”
Han Sangjin hurriedly intervened before the situation could explode.
“…….”
“Che.”
“Pfah! Damn it. None of us want to betray Player Kang Jinhyuk after all he’s done, but what choice do we have? If we don’t make that cursed choice, we’re all screwed!”
Even now, the sand in the hourglass continued to fall.
After the first seal broke, minor fissures appeared, and D- to F-grade gates began emerging across the globe.
For now, it was still goblins and orcs—monsters that could be contained—but by tomorrow, their ranks would rise.
The next day, they’d grow stronger still. By the third, B-grade threats could appear.
Entire cities would burn. Once A-grades emerged, the surviving percentage of humanity would be too depressing to calculate.
If they didn’t want that fate, one of the two had to be eliminated.
In the worst case, both might have to be.
Just then, Han Sangjin’s secretary whispered something into his ear.
“M-Mr. President. Outside, there’s—!”
The secretary didn’t finish.
Slash!
The secure chamber doors split apart.
Boom!
As fragments scattered, unexpected figures emerged from the dust.
“Cough! What a mess of dust…”
“Didn’t think things would get bad enough to drag us to a small country like this.”
“If the Korean rankers had handled their business properly, we wouldn’t have to step in.”
“Stop whining. We’re here anyway.”
Male and female voices intertwined in the smoke.
Whoever they were, breaking into such a classified zone was a clear act of provocation.
“How dare you barge in here!”
A ranker from Dangun Guild instantly summoned his weapon.
Vwoom!
A blinding light flashed as a massive greatsword formed from subspace—
Clang!
—but before it fully emerged, a bronze-skinned woman intercepted it.
Her movement was sharp, serpentine, flawlessly timed.
“Stop, Kajal. We didn’t come here for war.”
“Player Lee Changhee. Please stand down. They’re acquaintances.”
The intruders and Han Sangjin’s group both restrained their allies.
“Mr. President, acquaintances?”
“They’re rankers from India. After the Apocalypse of Covenant was triggered, they entered the country to deal with Player Kang Jinhyuk—but I didn’t expect them to be so reckless.”
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Kumar, master of ‘Gandhara.’ We owe your side quite a debt from before.”
Nirasha.
Once a top-ranked player—killed while fighting the Veteran Corporation.
Gandhara was disbanded, and India, losing its central figure, fell behind in the race up the Tower.
For a long time, they could only watch others ascend.
But after the wars against Northern Europe and Olympus, everything changed.
The ancient divine beings poured everything into cultivating new apostles.
The result was the birth of new top-class rankers.
Kumar, blessed by the god Brahma.
Deshmukh, blessed by the god Vishnu.
Kajal, blessed by the god Indra.
Antia, blessed by the god Agni.
These four—
“Even if you object, it doesn’t matter. Every nation will soon send their own rankers.”
Kumar shrugged.
“Unlike Nirasha, who acted out of greed, this time we have justice and legitimacy on our side.”
Individually, none of them could surpass Kang Jinhyuk. Even with divine blessings, none could stand alone against the monster who had slain gods.
But united under a single purpose…
That strength could not be ignored.
⁕⁕⁕
Meanwhile, at Signiel.
“This is ridiculous.”
Jinhyuk rewatched the broadcast.
The appearance, the magic, even the small habits—an exact replica.
Someone had created a perfect imitation of him.
‘And it even has a Mystic Eye…’
The [Eye of Chaos] ranked alongside the [Eye of Greed] among the highest-tier eyes—obtainable only through an insanely complex chain of achievements.
Alice, being a higher species, wasn’t affected by memory distortion about the Unknown, but the others were clearly experiencing confusion.
If the Veteran Corporation’s elites were this shaken, then for ordinary people or mid-tier players—it wasn’t even worth discussing.
‘For the Covenant to be activated at this timing… this isn’t the work of a mere primordial being. Someone above them must be involved.’
No doubt one of the Administrators was moving.
And a troublesome one at that.
‘With humanity held hostage and only seven days left, our options are limited.’
And the enemy likely knew that.
They were hitting exactly where it hurt, which meant any predictable move would already be countered.
In short, he’d been saddled with the worst kind of setup.
“Hmm. What will you do now? Mmm. If you leave things—gulp!—as they are, that fake will only grow bolder.”
Alice mumbled, her mouth stuffed with strawberry tart.
“If we’re not careful, this could turn into a war against humanity itself.”
“Drone footage already shows over a hundred players gathering—B-rank and above.”
“There are rankers among them too. They’re not even bothering to hide their magic.”
“Seriously, these people… Jinhyuk oppa saved them, and now they’re baring their fangs the moment their lives are at stake.”
The others chimed in one after another.
Though none said it outright, the anxiety in the room was clear.
This crisis was unlike anything before.
They weren’t fighting the Tower—they were fighting their own kind.
And beyond that…
‘Maybe the fact that no one knows which one’s the real me isn’t helping either.’
The only confirmed fact was that he’d fought Tulcha inside the dueling realm.
No one knew who had won—or what deals or schemes had occurred within.
In other words, there could even be members here who believed the fake’s words.
Jinhyuk pressed a finger against his throbbing temple.
He was fed up—not just with the Administrators who’d engineered this, but with humanity’s fickle, spineless nature.
For now, the only choice was to make contact with the impostor.
If he wanted to understand what game the enemy was playing, face-to-face talk was the best way.
“Tae-min.”
“Yes, hyung.”
“That guy’s at the Awakeners’ Association right now, right?”
“Most likely. That’s the only large-scale mana-suppression facility in Seoul. Security around the Seoul Arts Center has also been ramped up in the last few hours.”
“Then… he’s probably underground.”
A few possible locations came to mind.
And then—
BOOM!
An explosion shook the base of Signiel.
A pillar of black smoke and red flame rose high.
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
“This mana…”
A serene energy, scented faintly of lotus blossoms.
The rankers of Gandhara had made their move.
“Annoying pests. We could just avoid them and retreat.”
Chun Yoosung rested his hand on his sword hilt.
For someone who usually lost control at the slightest provocation, he was being unusually rational.
And true enough—staying clear of leeches was the wisest choice.
However—
That option had already been cut off.
[This entire area is currently under ‘System Manipulation’!]
Only after Gandhara’s players began their assault did the hidden trap reveal itself.
Clear proof that one of the Administrators had intervened.