Chapter 126

Chapter 126
## Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: The Dark Veil Fades

“The pitch-black wall has vanished! It’s been exactly 38 days!”

“What took place inside? What truly happened? How did a soul survive in there for over a month?”

“This is the very location where every Dimension Warrior claimed an onslaught by the Four Evils’ ‘Baal’ was underway! Yet, looking at Jeju Island now, there isn’t a single mark of destruction to be found.”

Journalists from every corner of the planet descended upon the area, arriving by air, sea, and rotor.

Jeju Island—the isolated territory the Master had abandoned as a lost cause, prompting the world to turn its back—had reappeared after 38 days of silence.

“It’s Park Taewoo! Because he stayed vigilant, patrolling the waters of Jeju without rest, we were prepared for an immediate rescue mission!”

“The Hero Alliance was the backbone of this recovery effort, while the Korean administration…”

Inevitably, the media spotlight burned brightest on Park Taewoo and the Hero Alliance, who were credited with the miraculous rescue. Had it not been for Park Taewoo’s stubborn presence near the island, tens of thousands would likely have perished in the waves. While he became a global icon in a single night, the most critical narrative was unfolding elsewhere.

The focus shifted toward Gracia and the survivors.

However, Gracia formally declined all requests for comment. The Korean government similarly restricted access to the survivors, citing the need to safeguard their mental health and personal lives. Yet, silencing 600,000 voices was a physical impossibility.

“…Can you describe the events that occurred within the barrier?”

A recorded interview conducted by an American reporter eventually sent shockwaves through the international community. It featured a man simply testifying to the events he had witnessed.

“The first sight we encountered in that ‘Abyss’ was two titanic entities engaged in a brutal struggle. One was known as ‘Baal,’ and the other was a terrifying creature resembling a crow.”

“So Baal wasn’t the only threat?”

“Correct. There were two of them. And there were demonic entities as well. But they all faded away within a few days.”

“How did that happen?”

“Baal bit off the head of that horrific bird, and both of them collapsed, becoming motionless. Then, after roughly two weeks, Baal’s remains dissolved, and a ‘black egg’ formed in the center of the site.”

“A black egg? What emerged from it?”

“The ‘Apostle of God’ stepped forth and provided us with salvation.”

“…The Apostle of God?”

The witness then retrieved a single scrap of paper from his coat. It was a yellow, parchment-like material, handled with the reverence of a holy relic, depicting a ‘reaper’ gripping a massive scythe. The figure possessed three sets of wings and a countenance similar to a goat.

“What is this sketch? A grim reaper?”

“Watch your tongue. We refer to him as the ‘Guardian of the Black Egg.’ Every person who was trapped there, including myself, keeps this image close to their heart.”

“…I apologize. So, this Guardian—he is the one who led you to safety?”

“Not exactly. The Guardian was manifested from the mist drifting from the ‘black egg.’ Within that egg dwells the ‘God’ destined to redeem all of mankind.”

“I see. So he guards the egg? But… God? Are you saying all 600,000 survivors saw this ‘God’?”

The man gave a slow shake of his head.

“God provided for us, but He did not show His face. We were not yet worthy. Now, the world and all of humanity must prepare ourselves with humility to welcome Him.”

Crack!

The Master ground his teeth together so hard his jaw ached, his frame quivering with rage.

“How? How did they crawl back from the Abyss alive?”

Thirty-eight long days. By all logic, Gracia and the rest should have rotted away inside that void. Yet, they had returned. And they were completely unharmed.

“You absolute…!”

The digital world was drowning in messages ridiculing the Master’s previous declarations. Even ‘Player Talk,’ the exclusive forum for the awakened, was ablaze with contempt.

-LMAO the Master is such a transparent fraud

-I’ve hated his arrogant attitude from the start

-Justice tastes amazing!

-He tried to act big and ended up showing everyone how shallow he is

-He should have just stayed quiet—classic case of talking yourself into a hole

-What was it? ‘Forget Jeju and follow me’? Bwahaha!

-Who in their right mind would follow a guy like the Master? Lol

-I’d choose Gracia any day

-Didn’t he refuse to even go to Jeju when things got bad?

-Is he even recyclable? Nah, he belongs in the trash heap lolol

-Seriously, the Master isn’t even in the same league as Gracia. She went to the mercenary hub Cartel and stood her ground against Baal without even having the ‘Hydragon Core,’ right?

-Facts.

-Totally agree.

To both ordinary citizens and high-ranking players, the Master had become a laughingstock. It was the logical conclusion. He had avoided the battle at the mercenary city Cartel, flatly denied the request to help at Jeju, and then had the audacity to suggest 600,000 people be left to die.

Conversely, look at the reputation of Gracia.

-Did you see how Gracia managed those people for over a month?

-Her leadership is the real deal. The Master is a joke compared to her.

-Every survivor from Jeju says the same thing: if not for Gracia, they would have lost their minds and their humanity.

-Gracia herself? She’s finally being recognized as a legendary hero.

-She keeps saying she doesn’t deserve the title, though.

-Wow, that’s so cool. Is that what a real hero’s humility looks like?

-Total respect.

-The Master would have been screaming about his greatness from every roof lololol

-“I’m the one who saved you!” -The kind of guy who brags to toddlers about being a hero.

-Yup.

-LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

His standing had cratered. There was no lower point to reach. This backlash wasn’t just noise on a forum; it signified that players were no longer intimidated by the Master’s influence.

[The Master: A Study in Irresponsible Leadership.]

[Willing to sacrifice 600,000 lives? Can he still be called a hero?]

[If not for the persistence of Park Taewoo and the Hero Alliance, the Master’s reckless words could have doomed tens of thousands on Jeju.]

[Is he a true savior, or a pretender in a hero’s costume?]

Condemnation and mockery poured in from every angle.

Crash!

The Master lunged forward, obliterating the chair he had been sitting in.

“Gaaaaahhh! You bastards…!!!”

He felt himself being pulled down into a bottomless, dark pit of his own making.

The entities governing the Abyss.

One by one, their watching eyes were closing.

Rumble!

And this realm, the ‘Abyss of the Resurrected,’ began its ascent. Alongside it, the territories that had been swallowed during the fall of Pangeniar rose once more. The peaks of the ascetics and the five neutral cities were returning. The vast numbers of people who had been pulled into the depths were returning to the surface world.

I was among them.

‘This is only the beginning.’

But this wasn’t the conclusion of the journey. Upon my return, there was a mountain of preparation to handle. I had to face the next main quest and devise a strategy against the ‘bug.’ Even when I had defeated the Demon King, even when I had pushed Baal into a corner, there was a ‘bug’ that bypassed the natural order to strike me down.

‘I can’t assume another bug won’t appear.’

Furthermore, the opportunity to return as the undying Randolph was a one-time occurrence. I had been fortunate this time, but if I fell to the same ‘bug’ again, it would be my final death. I had to find a method to neutralize such anomalies.

‘Moving on.’

I reached into my pocket. A specific ‘seal’ was vibrating intensely. It was the token the White King had bestowed upon me when he appointed me as his primary lieutenant.

‘…The White King is calling.’

What was the reason? He typically wouldn’t summon me unless the situation was dire. I shook off the thought and looked toward the shimmering portal manifesting in front of me. A gateway opened by Hell himself.

“Time to move.”

-Kyahahahaha!

Accompanied by Hell, I stepped through the warp.

At that precise moment.

《Hidden Quest ‘Eradication of the Evil God Baal’ has been finalized!》

《Calculating results.》

《1,250,000 points awarded! Your contribution is legendary!》

《You have achieved a level of contribution that surpasses the standard reward system.》

《The constellations of the Hundred Battles, who observed your struggle, have elevated the reward tier.》

《You are the owner of the Lucky Die.》

《The rewards for the 101st stage have been significantly upgraded.》

《17 newly ascended constellations and 10 ancient ones—27 in total—have lost their radiance.》

《The remaining celestial beings are in a state of panic over this unprecedented disaster.》