Chapter 640
Boom, boom, boom!
Drums and singing echoed along the fortress walls.
While the festival roared at the center, a handful of unfortunate souls huddled around a bonfire on the cold outskirts—left out of the merriment.
“Damn it, everyone else is enjoying a drink, and look at us.”
“We drew the short straw. Nothing to do about it. They did say they’d save a few servings for us, so let’s at least hold on to that hope.”
Warriors of Norse and Olympus slumped against the railing, grumbling.
Only a minimal defense force was kept on duty.
Those who lost the brutal lottery for night watch duty were having a miserable time.
Waiting for an enemy who probably wouldn’t even show up.
“Who would come at a time like this?”
“Exactly. And those magic freaks layered dozens of barriers around the place. If anyone were approaching, we’d know.”
With Gros, the giant star, fallen, the enemy shouldn’t have the strength to retaliate.
At least not tonight.
So they thought—
Swoosh….
A black shadow surged up from the ground.
“Huh…?”
“W-What’s that?”
They instinctively reached for their horns.
But the enemy was faster.
Crack! Crunch!
“Cough!?”
“Keh….”
Their necks snapped before they could even register the attack.
Two bodies crumpled.
White teeth emerged from the writhing shadows, devouring the corpses in an instant.
“Hehe! This is pretty fun, isn’t it?”
“We’re not here to have fun. Don’t get reckless.”
“More importantly, how much is left? Feels like we’ve killed dozens, but we still can’t get inside.”
“This is the last one.”
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse stood guard around Unknown.
“Good. Now we won’t have to worry about interruptions.”
Unknown gazed toward the distant celebration.
Watching those fools shout in victory—the scar on his mask pulsed.
Clang!
Twin daggers adorned with ornate patterns appeared in his hands.
His targets were Alice and Teresa.
To inject blood and dark energy into their souls.
“When those idiots pass out drunk from their own victory, that’s when the real battle begins.”
Unknown melted into the darkness.
—
At the same time—
In the heart of the festival, Jinhyuk was cooking with unprecedented enthusiasm.
[Otherworld Restaurant is activated!]
He poured in the finest ingredients and special sauces, filling the air with mouthwatering aroma.
“Eat up, everyone. Tell me if you want seconds.”
“Oh! Master, really? We can eat all of this? Anything?”
“Clatter clatter. I’m so happy, I’m about to shed tears from my skull.”
“Mogiii!”
“Miyooo!”
“A perfect prey for this noble being. Though it’s a bit salty, I shall graciously overlook it.”
“Hehe… Master is being so nice today. I’m really happy but….”
“Suspicious. Is there poison in here?”
“Or maybe there’s fine print hidden in the food somewhere….”
The summoned creatures’ eyes sparkled with joy and suspicion simultaneously.
“There’s nothing like that. Eat.”
“But still….”
“If you keep doubting me, I might get upset?”
“A-Ah! No, I’ll eat! Nom nom nom!”
“Me too! I’m eating just fine!”
The Spirit Beasts shoved the stacked Mana Stones into their mouths.
Goguma, Fried, and the Divine Beasts happily stuffed themselves.
“What’s gotten into you, Contractor?”
“I know, right? You never give treats without expecting something.”
“He went off by himself earlier. Must’ve gone well—he’s grinning like a fool.”
“It’s been a long time since Hyung looked this happy.”
“Hmmm. Maybe Oppa got a confession from a pretty girl here?”
They chimed in one by one.
Damn it. I do something nice, and they still complain.
Still—
Seeing them all eating happily warmed his heart.
And the fact that the war was going well lifted his spirits even more.
After everyone finished eating and headed to rest, Jinhyuk visited the smithy where Orun and Hephaestus worked.
Whirr! Whirr!
The sound of roaring fire and hammering.
In a room thick with sweat and heat, two master blacksmiths were forging a masterpiece.
“Ooh….”
Jinhyuk let out a quiet gasp.
The daggers had already formed into an impressive shape.
Even at a glance, their Mana and form looked extraordinary.
A faint purple light shimmered along the blades.
‘The design is amazing.’
Twin serpents seemed to be devouring the sword from both sides—
a dazzling, divine appearance that left no doubt this weapon would be a masterpiece.
“Ahem! You’ve arrived?”
“Oh dear, looks like we took longer than expected.”
“No, sorry for disturbing while you were focused.”
“Haha! Not at all. We were just struggling with a part and worrying about it.”
“A troublesome part?”
Jinhyuk’s expression tightened.
There could be no setbacks in forging the new weapon.
“Well… we’re short on materials to infuse the purple Mana. You prepared a lot, but… we still need higher-grade items.”
“We apologize.”
Hephaestus and Orun scratched their heads.
They assumed Jinhyuk would be irritated.
But Jinhyuk’s expression brightened instead.
“Oh, don’t worry about something so small. This should solve everything, right?”
[Subspace Inventory is opened!]
Space split open, and mountains of items poured out.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Roots of Shaggai from Gros, Top-Grade Mana Stones, and by-products of ancient corpses—
In an instant, one side of the smithy overflowed with high-level materials.
“Gasp!”
“T-This is…!”
Hephaestus and Orun’s pupils bulged.
It was only natural.
Though they had crafted innumerable weapons, they had never touched materials from the 50th floor.
A chance to work with such mythical substances—
their blacksmith instincts burned hot.
“Ooh! This will do.”
“Of course it will! Give us two hours—no, just one!”
The blacksmiths immediately raised their hammers.
Their gratitude was overflowing—this was a chance to improve their skills dramatically.
“Oh, and while you’re at it—can I ask one more thing? I need something.”
“Say the word.”
“This.”
Jinhyuk handed over a sheet of paper.
Hephaestus stroked his beard as he read.
“Hm. This is… quite an ugly thing. A doll cursed 109 times? And some of these curses I’ve never even heard of.”
“Is it possible?”
“Possible if possible. With all these materials, we can make anything. But… what will you use this for?”
The curses weren’t the issue—
the combinations and blending were unimaginably complex.
Where did he even come up with something like this?
More importantly—where would he use it?
“Have you heard the saying?”
“Huh? What saying?”
“The more you know, the sooner you die.”
Cold shivers ran down the blacksmiths’ spines.
Their blazing-hot bodies suddenly felt cold.
“Don’t worry. I won’t use it against Olympus at least.”
“Haha! I’m just a hammer-wielder, so I’m never curious about anything. Best not to ask questions!”
“Did Elder Hephaestus say that too? Truly, this old man has no interest in worldly affairs.”
The two blacksmiths, who got along surprisingly well, quickly diverted their gaze.
Just like that, the difficult work continued.
The Roots of Shaggai slowly melted in the furnace, merging with the daggers.
Whoooosh!
A brilliant light shot up.
Finally—the completed weapon emerged.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
A massive pillar of light blasted from the smithy chimney into the sky.
Jinhyuk swallowed.
Then checked the item’s stats—and shouted.
…Jackpot.
[First Blade] – Purple
Acquisition Difficulty: Unmeasurable
Attack Power: 7,200,000
Durability: 2,300,000,000 / 2,500,000,000
Weight: 200g
Description: A masterpiece crafted by melting supreme materials into the roots of an ancient being. Forged painstakingly by the greatest blacksmiths in the Tower of Trials, it is a Divine Weapon boasting the highest attack power among Sacred Relics.
Special Effects:
• Activate the ‘Constellation of the Serpent’ ability used to kill Gros.
• Use ‘Shylock’s Cruel Bargain.’
• Unlock two additional hidden effects upon reaching sufficient proficiency.
‘Shylock’s Cruel Bargain’: Allows a deal where two conditions can be placed on a scale to achieve a desired outcome at a set price. (Can only be used once every 30 days.)
The stats were beyond insane—his entire body tingled with excitement.
An attack power of 7.2 million.
Dozens of times higher than Frost Spirit Spear or Balmung.
Durability strong enough to withstand anything.
Special effects that could grow even further.
‘It was definitely useful for drawing out Asclepius’s abilities.’
Sharp and fierce.
The pressure it exuded against Gros was unforgettable.
“Hah… hah… hah…”
“Do you like it?”
Hephaestus and Orun gasped for air, muscles cramping from exhaustion.
They had clearly poured in everything.
“Thank you. I really love it.”
The performance. The form. Nothing was lacking.
Jinhyuk swung the dagger lightly—
Slash!
A thin crack formed on a nearby greatsword prepared as test material.
Then—
Boom!
It split cleanly in two.
The B-rank greatsword couldn’t withstand even a casual swing.
‘Light.’
Only 200g.
The flawless balance was perfect.
Jinhyuk slowly infused Mana into the twin daggers.
Shhhh—
Ethereal serpents floated along the surface, materializing in thin streams.
What kind of power would they unleash once mastered fully…?
Just imagining it was enough to drive him wild with anticipation.