Chapter 608
Seventeenth basement floor of the Awakened Association.
In the deepest level boasting the highest security, Unknown watched the screen with a look of amusement.
“…So it finally begins.”
With the full-scale war between the players and Veteran Corporation, the point of no return had been crossed.
It meant that the two sides had entered a deadly game of chicken—one where neither would stop until the other was utterly destroyed.
Standing beside Unknown were an old man and a woman—the same ones who had appeared at Signiel.
The old man once known by the handle “jjy77,” and the woman who went by “1Person2Chickens.”
“Hm. Thanks to having the Association President wrapped around my finger, things are moving smoothly.”
“Tell me about it. If it had gone down to a simple human-versus-human setup earlier, it would’ve been much easier.”
JJ and 2Chickens slowly looked around the Association’s control room.
On the massive screen, every battle was being transmitted in real time.
For a commander issuing orders, having such an overwhelming advantage in information was invaluable.
“Leaving things to those primitive fools who only know brute strength—no wonder it got messy. Though, I suppose the main reason is that my master enjoys a little thrill.”
“Well, if he had stepped in personally from the beginning, it would’ve ended instantly.”
JJ stroked his beard and nodded.
The man’s authority was something even the administrators could not interfere with—a domain beyond their reach.
The thought that Jinhyuk, who was still clearing the 30th floors, could win never even crossed their minds.
“That aside—are you prepared for the other side? Once humans kill Kang Jinhyuk, they’ll turn on you next. You’re aware of that, right?”
If the Covenant continued even after the real one died, every player would begin targeting Unknown.
Then this sturdy bunker would no longer be a defense line, but a cage with no escape.
More than anything, with his body laden with restraints and self-destruction magic…
…even possessing Jinhyuk’s abilities wouldn’t make it easy.
“If you’re expecting us to help, that’s impossible. We’ve already exceeded the permitted limits by tampering with the system outside the Tower.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I already have a plan.”
Unknown slowly opened his palm.
Wuuum!
A subspace opened, and a purple crystal emerged.
“That’s… could it be?”
JJ’s pupils shook violently.
He recognized it immediately.
“I’ve known from the start what those insects were planning.”
Cracks spread across the crystal’s surface.
At the same time, an enormous surge of mana exploded outward.
Kraaaang!
The underground shook with a chain of detonations.
[S-rank Gate is opening!]
[S-rank Gate is opening!]
[S-rank Gate is opening!]
[A-rank Gate is… opening!]
The flood of status windows seemed endless.
Yeongdeungpo, Apgujeong, Mapo, Gangnam, and Cheonho—
He had never intended to let the humans gathered here live.
He had gathered all the pests into one place—
to wipe them out in one strike.
“Now then, kill each other.”
A deathly masquerade began—one with no victor, where survival alone was the only prize.
—
Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!
The mana detectors inside the Association went berserk.
“W-what’s happening?”
“T-this can’t be….”
They almost thought the devices were malfunctioning.
The sheer number and size of red dots on the screen shredded all previous records.
Thirty-seven.
At least thirty-seven gates of A-rank or higher had appeared simultaneously within a minute.
And around the Seoul Arts Center alone, four S-rank gates emerged.
Crack-crack!
Distorted rifts tore open.
What stepped out from them could only be described as pure nightmare.
First appeared a black-robed archmage, sweeping his staff through the air.
Kukukukukuk!
As the teal gem at its tip blazed, hundreds of elves marched out of the gates.
Not the kind who loved forests and nature—these were elves who had forsaken their vows for strength.
Trained in spirit magic, archery, and black magic alike, they were soldiers bestowed with the title “Krol,” servants of the archmage.
“Keheheh! I’ve been itching from being trapped in that cursed labyrinth! How long has it been since I’ve tasted fresh air?”
From the 36th floor of the Tower of Trials—
Aperman, the Archmage of the “Temple of Light” labyrinth, roared with laughter.
After centuries of imprisonment without a drop of blood to savor, he finally had the freedom to rampage again.
“This won’t be easy…”
“To think we have to deal with monsters like that at a time like this…”
Rankers from the U.S. Titan Guild and the New China Guild grit their teeth.
The heavy mana pressing against their skin felt suffocating.
One wrong move, and their corpses would be left on foreign soil.
At the same moment—
A gate appeared near the Seocho Interchange, where the mechanized infantry division was stationed.
“Graaaaar!”
A five-headed Imoogi.
Though it had failed to ascend as a dragon, a thousand years of life had granted it mana that easily surpassed S-rank.
The sky split, and its colossal shadow spread across the clouds.
“C-commander!”
“Fire! All weapons, fire at will!”
K2 Black Panther tanks—the pride of Korea’s army—simultaneously aimed their guns at the Imoogi.
Kwak-kwak-kwang!
Pwooom!
Over a hundred cannons fired at once.
Each shell was infused with mana, designed to harm even beings from the Tower.
But then—
Thud!
Just before the shells could hit, a powerful telekinetic force froze them in midair.
The shells stopped, then slowly turned back toward their origin.
“Take cover!”
The desperate shout came too late.
No tank, no matter how agile, could dodge its own shells.
Kraaa-kwang!
The bombardment struck the tank formation head-on.
The highway transformed into a blazing inferno.
“Uwaaaagh!”
“Aaaagh!”
The number of soldiers burned alive was impossible to count.
Yet this was only the beginning of the nightmare.
Crack!
“Screeeech!”
Crunch!
“Sacrifices overflow!”
Gate after gate continued to spawn superior bosses, each reveling in slaughter and freedom.
—
“Damn it!”
Lee Changhee cursed.
The sudden appearance of the gates threw players into chaos.
Having missed the initial response, the damage was spiraling out of control.
Stopping the gates from fully opening was the first protocol priority.
But that was only for normal circumstances.
Right now, the priority was rooting out the cause behind it all—
even if it meant letting everything burn to ashes under S-rank monsters.
The Gandhara Guild felt the same frustration.
Jinhyuk’s evasive maneuvers between buildings had dragged things out long enough to ignite their fury.
Kumar glared straight at him.
“So much for humanity’s heroes. In the moment of crisis, all you do is cling to your own lives. Don’t you realize the more you resist, the more innocents die?”
“What?”
“Even now, the number of gates is increasing, and civilian casualties are skyrocketing. Unless the fake dies, it’ll only get worse. So tell me—can’t you sacrifice your one life to save them all?”
“How dare you… do you even have a conscience?”
Unable to hold back, Teresa shouted.
Yoo Yeonhwa and Lee Tae-min also failed to hide their anger.
But it was Alice who erupted the most.
Kraaaang!
Red mana burst out like an explosion.
Far more intense than before, her killing intent engulfed the street.
“You sure talk big for someone running his mouth. Without our contractor, your precious humanity would’ve gone extinct long ago.”
The ninety-day rule—the requirement to advance floors within that limit—
And the only one who had made it possible was Jinhyuk.
For them to spout such arrogance after that was beyond disgraceful.
Yet Jinhyuk showed no visible reaction.
Disappointment could only exist when expectations did.
From the day he started as a BJ—
No, perhaps from the very beginning—
He had expected this.
Humans would always exploit others, trampling whoever they must for personal gain.
That was their true nature.
Yes.
So this was how it felt.
For the first time, he began to understand even a fraction of the path Kang Jinhyuk had walked.
Jinhyuk slowly raised his hand to his face.
“This should’ve bought enough time.”
He couldn’t bear listening to their nonsense any longer.
The irritation burned hot in his chest.
[‘Infinite Mask’ is deactivated.]
“Y-you’re…?”
Kumar’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
The man they thought was Jinhyuk was someone else entirely.
“Too bad for you, that leech of an old-timer isn’t here.”
Chun Yoosung brushed the remnants of the mask off his face.
Drawing all eyes here—while the real move targeted the king.
That was Jinhyuk’s strategy.
—
Ding… ding… ding!
The rapidly descending elevator stopped at the lowest floor.
The doors slid open, and Jinhyuk stepped into the Association’s deepest chamber.
‘Quiet, as expected.’
Just as he thought—most personnel had been deployed outside.
They didn’t have the luxury to guard the inside.
[‘Unique Mana Change Candy’ effect has expired.]
One of the three items Jinhyuk purchased from the Coin Exchange.
‘Infinite Mask’ only altered appearance, but the candy changed even the user’s unique mana signature.
Thanks to that, Chun Yoosung had perfectly passed as his double.
“And now…”
Jinhyuk’s gaze swept across the room filled with screens.
“So you’re the bastard who’s been using my likeness without permission?”
The masked player standing there, striking a dramatic pose.
Finally, the damned man himself stood before him.
“Well, well… to think you’d use a non-tradeable item like that. I’ll admit, that was clever. I did expect you to come here eventually—but I thought you’d look half-dead, not perfectly fine.”
Unknown’s mask trembled violently.
He was laughing.
“Sorry to disappoint. I’ve got plenty of questions, so let’s skip the small talk.”
“Oh? You speak as if simply making it one-on-one guarantees your victory.”
Fzzzt…!
Red mana flared around Unknown.
It was vicious and ominous—a type of energy unlike any resident or god Jinhyuk had ever faced in the Tower.
Yet even under that razor-sharp killing intent, Jinhyuk didn’t flinch.
“What, you think it doesn’t?”
His voice turned cold.
The time for playing along with someone else’s game was over.