Chapter 630
The final herald of doom, the ‘Shade Reaper.’
A monster appearing in the Covenant—the worst of all apocalypses—and one of the beings you least want to encounter in the Tower of Trials.
Its individual combat power wasn’t that high, but it possessed several absurd special abilities.
One of them: it could summon other heralds with similar authority.
Wooooong!
Through the opened rift, something metallic screeched as it emerged.
Four figures.
Each carried a different banner and wore full steel armor.
The Four Horsemen from the Book of Revelation.
The apocalypse that once destroyed Northern Europe and burned Yggdrasil had manifested again.
Clang! Clang!
“Grrr….”
“Kikik!”
“This time will be entertaining.”
“Kill them all.”
A chilling glow spread through their helmets.
With a single purpose, the four horsemen drew their weapons.
And because the Covenant had activated, anomalies erupted throughout every region inside and outside the Tower.
Gate after gate appeared—far stronger and far more numerous than ever before.
“So you even calculated that Vishnu would accept my proposal?”
“Pretend to lose, then topple the board all at once. That’s what we do best, isn’t it?”
Well, yes.
We used that trick so often that we didn’t expect someone to use it ‘against us’.
It felt disgusting to be on the receiving end.
Jinhyuk scratched his head.
Still, there was one thing he gained—
They now had the support of Vishnu and the Celestial Order.
Once news spread that Unknown had directly touched the First Lotus, Brahma, Shiva, and the rest of the Celestial Order would turn against him.
“I understand what you’re thinking. But that only matters if you make it out alive.”
Unknown chuckled knowingly.
Kukukukuku!
The ground trembled.
The earth began cracking like a tortoise shell.
Rumbleeeee!
Below, seething red lava glowed.
And crawling up the walls were countless black goats and sheep.
A forgotten nightmare resurfaced.
The worst apocalypse had returned.
⁕⁕⁕
Kukukukung!
KWAANG!
The disturbance wasn’t limited to the temple interior.
All those fighting outside felt the world twist violently.
The Covenant’s crimson warning message spread across the world, plunging players and survivors alike into despair.
“Damn it… what the hell is that?”
“We tried so hard… is this really the end?”
“Haha….”
“We couldn’t stop the fake. It’s over. It’s all over!”
Rankers from various guilds stared blankly at the Tower.
A massive hole had been ripped open—and through it swarmed black goats, sheep, and ominous corrupted tentacles.
An Outbreak.
One of a scale never before seen.
At the same time, the Tower itself overflowed with Shub-Niggurath’s apostles.
The Covenant had removed floor movement restrictions, giving the ancient beings free passage.
Even at the Frozen Lake of the Frostblade Tribe, another shadow loomed.
“…Chief.”
“Yes. I see it.”
Karakal stared across the lake.
A creature never before seen on the 7th floor.
But the killing intent radiating from it easily overshadowed even the bloodline of Decathus.
“Take the tribe and leave.”
“And you, Chief?”
“I will stall as long as needed—until everyone escapes.”
A chief existed to protect the tribe.
In a moment that determined survival, only one who could stand in the most dangerous place deserved the crown.
Karakal gripped his massive spear, preparing to meet the apostles of Shub-Niggurath.
At the same time—
A similar scene unfolded at the psychiatric ward.
“Graaagh!”
“Gwooo!”
“Uaaagh!”
“Run! Run!!”
Fanatics trying to hold off the black goats and sheep with crude weapons now fled in terror.
The gap in strength was immense.
Even the Tri-horned Giants—named monsters from the 5th floor—were torn apart instantly.
“Jinhyuk…”
Andrea, returning late to the 5th floor, clenched her teeth.
With the Covenant activated, every floor was in danger. No one would come to help.
They each had to defend their own floor and territory with everything they had.
“Gather all the believers in my chamber. We will stand and fight together there.”
[Andrea activates Unique Ability ‘Foxfire Parade’!]
Nine flames ignited at the tips of the Nine-Tailed Fox’s tail.
⁕⁕
The 24th floor—home of the Empire and the Martial World.
During a major joint meeting between the two powers, a stranger entered the hall.
“Who goes there!?”
“…!?”
The knights and martial masters guarding the entrance reached for their swords.
But—
Splurt!
Before either blade left its sheath, their heads burst in fountains of blood.
They couldn’t even comprehend what happened.
A single, clean strike killed both a Sword Master and a peak-level martial artist instantly.
“What…?”
“W-what!?”
Those in the meeting room widened their eyes.
These were elites chosen from each faction.
Yet they died without even reacting.
“…This aura… could it be?”
The Dark Emperor’s expression hardened.
He recognized it.
A suffocating, abyssal killing intent that made victory unimaginable—a scent of death belonging to only one race.
Step.
A beautiful dancer stepped across the pooling blood.
One of the ancient beings—Tulcha.
Red footprints marked the floor.
“Not this one… not that one….”
Tulcha pointed at each person in the room.
The freezing atmosphere made it impossible for anyone to move even a finger.
Her killing intent crushed the entire hall.
And then—
Tulcha stopped before one man.
“Heh. So ‘you’ were the one who tormented my mother?”
A handsome young man.
The Heavenly Demon—who had once fought Shub-Niggurath.
With the floors now open, Tulcha had come for revenge.
The fall of the Heavenly Demon and the Martial World would deal a huge blow to Veteran Corporation; they were a top-priority target.
“You have the same scent as ‘him.’ Even after all you suffered, do none of you understand what it means to give up?”
“Heh. Last time, I fought with my hands and feet bound. But until the Covenant ends, I can use my full power.”
The Covenant lasted for seven days and nights.
Meaning humanity and the residents had to endure seven days to survive the hellish apocalypse.
“And besides… you no longer have that precious crown of his, do you?”
Tulcha smirked.
The Crown of Tyranny.
The Heavenly Demon had been able to restrain Shub-Niggurath because of that cursed crown.
Without it, he was merely a human with decent power.
Kukukukukung!
As Tulcha revealed her true power, an unimaginable pressure crushed the entire region.
In response, countless black goats and sheep roared across the Imperial plains.
Death was approaching.
“Guh… cough…”
“Ugh….”
Just facing her shattered their minds.
Nobles and royals foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Even knights and martial artists slightly below peak level died instantly.
‘An easy hunt.’
A riskless massacre.
Tulcha’s favorite scenario.
But—
The Heavenly Demon showed not a shred of fear.
“Followers of my sect, hear me.”
He spoke.
Emotionless.
As a supreme ruler delivering a decree.
“Follow me.”
A short command.
But more than enough.
[The Heavenly Demon activates ‘Heavenly Demon Divine Art’!]
“Ooooooh!”
“Charge!”
With earth-shaking war cries, those paralyzed by fear rose to their feet.
The Dark Emperor and the peak masters of the Demonic Sect unleashed waves of blade energy.
KWAANG!
The Empire woke from shock a beat later.
The Empire’s greatest sword—Grand Swordmaster Abraham—drew a brilliant aura blade.
“Summon the knights! Defend the Empire!”
The strongest champions of each faction moved to confront the ancient being.
⁕⁕⁕
“You must be confused. Not knowing which to save first. Or whether killing me should be your top priority. So many choices, aren’t there?”
Unknown showed live projections of the chaos across the floors.
Scenes of the people Jinhyuk had bonded with suffering without filter.
And in Seoul—players from various guilds were being massacred by hordes of monsters.
‘…We can’t help them now.’
There was no spare strength to rush to other floors.
They had no choice but to trust that everyone would survive using their own skills and experience.
Jinhyuk steeled himself.
The top priority was stopping the war between the Alliance and the Celestial Order and uniting all forces.
Any further internal losses had to be prevented.
Which meant—
“Alice.”
Jinhyuk spoke quietly.
“Yes.”
“I’ll make an opening for myself to leave. You go with Vishnu to the Celestial Order’s main force. He must convince the other gods—we need a coordinated counterattack.”
“And you?”
“I’m going to fight him.”
Defeat Unknown.
Stop the Seven-Day Covenant.
Only by accomplishing both could they truly win.
“Understood. Just make sure you return alive. I refuse to allow someone who has a contract with me to die first.”
“Don’t worry.”
Jinhyuk gave a steady, confident smile.
Seeing that reliable expression melted Alice’s heart.
“Hm. So you plan to split up. Do you really think I’ll sit back and let that happen?”
Unknown shrugged.
Purple tentacles and Shub-Niggurath’s apostles filled the area.
The Shade Reaper and the Four Horsemen looked ready to charge as well.
“You will.”
Jinhyuk tightened his grip on his daggers.
“Because even handling me alone won’t be easy.”
As those words ended—
[You have equipped the ‘Crown of Tyranny’!]
[You have equipped the ‘Crown of Swiftness’!]
Woooooong!
Two crowns manifested from subspace simultaneously.