Chapter 655

The bright and sacred sanctuary, Eden.

The beautiful city, perched high in the upper reaches, was slowly losing its light amid a prolonged civil war.

The angels who had once stood united had split between Uriel and Gabriel, clashing relentlessly to seize Eden.

However, as time passed, the radicals under Uriel—who had dominated the early stages—began to be pushed back.

It was the complete opposite of what everyone had expected.

Of course, it was inevitable.

As Kang Jinhyuk and Veteran Corporation took the lead, the moderates under Gabriel consolidated their position at a frightening pace. Those who had been watching from the sidelines quickly joined Gabriel, and the balance collapsed all at once.

It was a dazzling reversal. It didn’t seem like it would take long for Eden to reunify.

But…

“Krrr….”

“Kuaaaa!”

That sweet hope burned to ashes right before it could bear fruit.

An enormous army appeared before Eden’s sanctuary.

“Enemies approaching from the south… along the southern sky!”

The angels on the walls screamed at the top of their lungs.

Their faces were pale with a despair unlike anything seen before.

A surprise attack.

Not from the Netherworld, the archenemy that shared the same stratum.

But from a far stronger and more mysterious race—the dominant lineage of the 46th floor of the Tower of Trials.

Dragons.

And among them was a being in a class of its own even among dragons. An Ancient Dragon bearing a title, powerful enough to threaten even the Primordial Ones.

“Kill everyone except Uriel and the angels who follow him. We will not accept surrender.”

A black dragon missing one eye issued the order.

[Heavy Armor Dragon ‘Edon’ activates ‘Wings that Summon Dragons’!]

[The morale and basic stats of all dragons who hear the Ancient Dragon’s command increase by 20%!]

Woo-oong!

As the absolute authority of Dragon Speech took hold, a roar rolled across the long battle line.

The Ancient Dragon who had lived for tens of thousands of years, and the dragons who followed him—incarnations of disaster in countless colors—descended upon Eden.

“Defend!”

With Gabriel absent, the angels fought desperately to protect the sanctuary.

Kwakwakwakwang!

Puhpuhpuhpung!

Dragon breath detonated. Flames surged against the shield spread across the sanctuary.

Kukukukukuku!

The earth shook.

Unable to withstand the shock, angels vomited blood from their mouths and noses.

“We have to hold until Michael arrives… until the other Archangels manifest!”

“Return fire with sacred flames! Seraphim, prepare to strike the dragons’ flanks!”

Commanders rallied their soldiers.

The dragons were overwhelming, yes, but these were elite troops who had fought the Netherworld for countless years.

They had the experience and resolve to stand their ground no matter how strong the enemy was.

And if they could just buy time…

The Archangels would arrive.

Within Eden’s sanctuary, the Archangels were considered invincible. Even dragons wouldn’t be able to push them back.

Moreover, they could deploy the Spear of Longinus—one of the most powerful single weapons in existence—so the battle was still worth attempting.

It wasn’t time to give up yet.

Above all, the dragons’ breath hadn’t been enough to break the shield.

‘They haven’t been active outside for a long time… have they weakened?’

‘Maybe their reputation was exaggerated.’

‘Or maybe we’ve simply become stronger.’

Confidence rose, and morale recovered quickly.

Then.

[Coordinate Fixed ‘Hell Fire Rampage’ is activated!]

A wide-area spell constructed from 10-circle Dragon Speech magic unfolded.

Its target was the entire sanctuary.

While the shield’s output was focused on the front, the spell aimed for the relatively unguarded sky above.

As if the breath attacks had been bait, a different level of magic power gathered overhead.

Black clouds swallowed Eden’s always-blue sky, and something dark red slowly revealed itself from within.

[Heavy Armor Dragon ‘Edon’ activates ‘Meteor of Destruction’!]

A meteor several kilometers wide.

“…Oh my god.”

“Lord…”

Even commanders with four wings could only stare in a daze.

They didn’t dare to think about stopping it.

They didn’t even know how to escape the coming rain of fire.

“It’s over.”

Fire began to fall from the sky.

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah vanished overnight, Eden was about to face the same fate.

In that instant of despair, a blue system window appeared before the angels.

[System Manipulation is activated!]

[Defense Barrier ‘Infinity Dome’ is activated!]

A translucent barrier, shaped like a turtle shell, formed across the sky.

Sleeper Owl, missing one arm.

And 1Person2Chickens.

“I won’t let you dominate this world as you please. Ghost of the Tower.”

“Tonight is chicken! You stupid lizards!”

Two Operators entered Eden.

[Sleeper Owl activates Unique Ability ‘Animal Park’!]

[Summoned Beast ‘Giant Eagle’ is summoned!]

“Peeeeek!”

“Peeeee!”

Giant eagles, each reaching ten meters, filled the air in flocks.

—

[Unique Holy Spear ‘Ad Astra’ is activated!]

A flash toward the stars.

Magic power was reconstructed down to molecular units, becoming a streak of light that could traverse the universe. The ancient strike—one that could even interfere with the system—shot toward Kang Jinhyuk.

Kwakwakwakwakwa!

A white flash cleaved through space.

He didn’t need Eye of Gluttony to know it. This couldn’t be neutralized by ordinary means.

“You’d better dodge. Of course, if you dodge, all your precious comrades behind you die.”

Insane laughter poured from Unknown’s wide-open mouth.

It wasn’t a bluff.

Except for Alice, the rest wouldn’t survive.

The incoming light was that ominous.

[Unique Holy Spear ‘One Eye Moon’ is activated!]

Space tore, and a massive one-eyed eye appeared behind Kang Jinhyuk.

It was an ability that attacked the mind and fired a laser that burned everything it looked upon.

But even a skill like Gros’s wasn’t enough.

If the opponent was betting everything…

He had to bet everything as well.

“Hoo…”

Kang Jinhyuk exhaled.

He closed his eyes and gathered every thread of magical power spread through his body into both hands.

Different sparks formed in his left and right palms.

[Unique Holy Spear ‘Chrono Sphere’ is activated!]

[Sharing of All Things ‘Flare Eclipse’ is activated!]

Pachichik! Patsuh.

Alice’s restored prime, and the techniques of his past—when he climbed the Tower as a ranger.

“Geuoooo!”

Black light poured from the one-eyed eye.

At the same time, a red line and a blue bullet fired.

Three lights twisted together and became one.

In less than a second, light collided with light at a single point.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

A massive explosion followed.

Everything nearby turned to ash in an instant.

A sonic boom and shockwaves rolled outward in overlapping waves.

Wooddeuk…! Wooddeuk!

Joints twisted, and bones screamed.

Thin lines of blood ran from Kang Jinhyuk’s eyes.

“You’ve worked hard all this time. Give up. It’ll be easier if you give up.”

Unknown’s voice lingered in his ears.

A pressure that threatened to blow away his reason pressed down on his entire body. Even the concentration he had honed to the limit began to fade.

But.

“Don’t… mess with me.”

He had shattered strata of absurd difficulty and oppression. He had broken through countless impossible trials and reached this point.

As if he would kneel because of a single opponent.

The years he had built were not light.

Kang Jinhyuk gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

Unknown stepped forward as well, his mask still broken.

“Uwaaaaa!”

“Kuaaaa!”

With their shouts, the output surged to its peak.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!

Everything turned white.

Cheeeek!

The storm that had raged just moments ago vanished like a lie. The noise that had torn at the eardrums was gone as well.

It was a draw.

Light and light shattered and disappeared.

Tiny fragments, glowing beautifully, drifted down one by one.

“You’re tough as steel. Haa. I can’t kill you easily. I thought I knew you better than anyone… but facing you as an enemy is exhausting. It’s exhausting.”

Unknown muttered sincerely.

[Unknown opens Subspace Inventory!]

What he pulled out was a revolver.

It looked eerily similar to the one Kang Jinhyuk used in the past.

“I didn’t want to use this because of pride… but I can’t help it. I’m running out of energy too.”

He intended to end it in the simplest, most certain way.

Unknown raised the barrel.

But at that moment, Kang Jinhyuk vanished.

“…?”

Unknown realized it half a beat late.

Instinctively, both the Serpent Sword and the pistol moved.

Chwachwachwachwachwa!

Fierce, but slow.

Both power and speed had dropped sharply. The backlash from burning his life force came back severalfold.

Tang! Tatatang!

Fire spat from the revolver’s muzzle.

The bullets tore through air, missing their target.

Kang Jinhyuk, using the halved Demonic Heavenly Army’s Advent, subtly twisted Unknown’s breathing.

He slipped in on an offbeat rhythm—half a beat early, half a beat late—closing the distance little by little.

Feints once, twice… three times.

No, it happened so often the count stopped mattering.

Each time Unknown’s blade cut nothing but air, his mind warped deeper into confusion.

He couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake.

“Azathoth’s… Palace. How is the Palace…?”

If he could land a mental attack, he could still shake Kang Jinhyuk.

Unknown desperately waited for Azathoth’s Palace to fully manifest.

But.

[Due to the ‘Ring of Frost Spirit’, resistance to mental attacks is increased to the maximum!]

Kang Jinhyuk stood before him without losing his reason.

The distance between them was now less than one meter.

A distance where the final blow could be exchanged.

Kang Jinhyuk spoke one last time.

“I told you.”

Alice exceeds your expectations.

And Berial and the Egyptian gods, moving outside, also broke through Celestial Order’s line and damaged the jewel.

[Azathoth’s Palace stops manifesting.]

Everything is over.

First Blade pierced Unknown’s heart.

Puhpuhpuhpuk!

Red blood burst like a fountain from the blade that protruded out the other side.

“Such a mis…take…. Haha. Even though I lost most of my memories and power, I never imagined I’d lose to you. I guess that’s why the Tower of Trials is so fun.”

Unknown spoke his final words.

“But don’t relax. The enemy waiting for you will be difficult even if you pour out everything you have.”

“I’m expecting trouble.”

“Hehe. Well… is that so?”

Unknown said something incomprehensible.

A moment later, he staggered, lost balance, and fell.

Tting! Tting! Tting!

[Level up….]

[Sacred Relic….]

The notifications for levels and rewards blocked Kang Jinhyuk’s view, but the rewards didn’t matter right now.

One of the greatest mysteries so far.

The moment had finally come to learn Unknown’s identity.

Thud.

Kang Jinhyuk removed Unknown’s mask.

But.

“What…?”

Kang Jinhyuk’s pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck them.

He had considered countless possibilities about Unknown’s identity, and he had even reached his own conclusions.

But the face beneath the mask made him realize something immediately.

Every assumption he had made until now had been nothing but scraps of paper.