Chapter 256

Chapter 256
## Chapter 256

—

### Level 10

Hybrid Goblins.

These creatures were a nightmare for novices who had only recently undergone Awakening. These monsters, which reached Level 3 and hunted in coordinated packs, were the primary obstacle of the ‘Survival’ trial, which required participants to slaughter 100 of them.

Despite the danger, one man lunged forward the moment the spatial warps flickered into existence.

“Is he going in alone?”

“Has he lost his mind?”

The rest of the crowd pulled together, forming a defensive perimeter. They locked shields, pointed spears outward, and prepared their bows from the safety of the back ranks. Many had already grasped the grim reality that against Goblins, being isolated was a death sentence. To most, walking out solo was nothing short of a suicide mission.

“He clearly has no desire to keep living.”

“Stick to the plan! Stay behind me! If we hold, we all make it out!”

Clicking their tongues in disapproval, the others looked away from the lone figure. Their immediate focus was reinforcing their wall and readying themselves for the onslaught.

However, once the countdown hit zero and the Hybrid Goblins poured from the rifts, the crowd found it impossible to look at anything else.

*Kiak!*

*Kaaak!*

The air was filled with the unending shrieks of dying monsters. Every time a Hybrid Goblin stepped through a warp, its head was severed instantly. The man’s movements were so efficient they appeared effortless. He didn’t use flashy techniques or complex maneuvers; he simply reached out and ended them. Even in a world where people had grown numb to violence, the lack of hesitation in his strikes was chilling.

“What kind of monster is he…?”

“Is he planning to take every single kill?”

“Hey!”

Driven by greed and disbelief, a burly man wielding an axe broke formation. He figured if the monsters were that easy to kill, he should be getting his share.

*‘The rewards are based on rank. If I start now, I can easily lock down second place.’*

He was well-versed in the logic of Pangaea. He understood that every test came with a leaderboard and that the best prizes were reserved for those at the top.

*‘That guy is dangerous. There’s no point in picking a fight with a freak like that.’*

The axeman smirked to himself. He knew the world operated on the law of the jungle. No matter how much an ordinary person trained, they were no match for an Awakened. Survival meant knowing when to bow to the strong. To his eyes, the man at the front was a predator of the highest order.

It was wiser to let a monster like that clear the path. He had no intention of competing for the top spot; being the second most powerful person in this area was more than enough for him.

*Kireuk! Kireureuk!*

A Hybrid Goblin forced its way through a nearby warp. Standing about 1.3 meters tall with skin as dark as coal, it looked slightly more imposing than the descriptions he’d heard, but he remained confident.

“Die, you filthy beast!”

He roared, swinging his axe with enough force to split the creature down the middle.

*Kaang!*

Instead of the sound of rending flesh, a metallic ring echoed, and a sharp vibration shot up the man’s arm.

*‘W-What?’*

Panic seized him. The impact felt like hitting solid steel rather than skin. It made no sense.

*‘That other guy was cutting them like they were made of paper…’*

Had he misjudged the situation? If he had known their hides were this tough, he never would have left the safety of the group. Most importantly…

*‘Everyone said Goblins have pathetic defense!’*

Wasn’t it common knowledge that even an unawakened person could kill a Goblin with enough effort? That was the last thing he ever thought.

*Crunch!*

The Goblin leaped onto him in a flash, unhinging its jaw and swallowing the man’s head in a single bite. It was a stomach-turning sight.

*Thud!*

The headless corpse slumped to the dirt. Immediately, the clearing erupted in screams.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

“That… that’s supposed to be a Goblin?”

Terror gripped the survivors. The creature’s mouth had distended wide enough to consume a human head whole. These were Hybrid Goblins, not the weaklings from common folklore. This was the fate of those who applied surface-world logic to monsters born of the Abyss. It was exactly the bloody spectacle the fairy ‘Iris’ had expected.

However.

*—…How is this even possible?*

The man who had drawn his blade first was the exception. Though the Hybrid Goblins possessed bones as hard as iron, he was perceiving their structural flaws with perfect clarity, slicing through the narrowest, weakest points of their necks. They weren’t invincible if one knew where to strike, but these participants were mere beginners who had only just Awakened. They shouldn’t have known how to handle Abyssal horrors.

She had anticipated chaos and carnage, but instead…

*Kiek!*

*Kaaak!*

It was the Hybrid Goblins who were being systematically exterminated.

*—He is definitely only Level 1…*

As a fairy of the Island of God, Iris could see the levels of all participants. The man was undeniably at the very bottom: Level 1. Yet his prowess defied logic. No matter how skilled a person was, a Level 1 should not have been able to decapitate a hundred Hybrid Goblins with such ease. It defied the laws of the system.

*Kak!*

The final monster fell with a wet rattle. Watching the scene, Iris whispered in disbelief.

*—This is completely absurd…*

—

《The first day of ‘Survival’ has concluded.》
《94,724 out of 100,000 participants have survived.》
《Congratulations!》
《A minor amount of SP (Skill Points) has been awarded to all survivors.》
《Additional SP has been granted based on your survival ranking.》
《Use SP to unlock your talents. This process may grant special skills or classes.》

A short time after the final kill, these notifications flickered into view.

*‘So that’s how the mechanics work.’*

I began to piece together the underlying rules of the ‘Island of God.’ I mentally cataloged the information I had gathered so far.

First, Park Hyunmyeong and Randolph were functioning as distinct entities. It appeared that by retaining my human identity, the system treated me as a separate person. This allowed me to bypass the restrictions that usually barred Randolph from entering. It also explained why the Fairy Dragon failed to recognize my true identity.

Second, if I were to transform here, I would be kicked out instantly. My “Completed” power seems to interfere with the development of the Fairy Dragons. Having been ejected once already, I needed to avoid shifting into Randolph at all costs.

Third, the Fairy Dragons thrive by draining “time” from those who haven’t Awakened. They were currently undergoing a growth spurt by feasting on the collective time of the 100,000 entrants.

Fourth, this location is still technically within the Abyss, which explains why it can pull monsters directly from that realm.

And fifth… I had actually Awakened. This realization caught me off guard. I had already gone through Awakening as Randolph in Pangaea, yet here I was, Awakening again as Park Hyunmyeong. Since players—especially the island’s owner—are forbidden from entering, my presence and subsequent Awakening were complete anomalies.

The surprises continued as I checked my status.

*‘Status Window.’*

The display was nothing like that of a normal beginner.

****
Name: Park Hyunmyeong

****
Level: 2
Strength: 30
Stamina: 28
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 28
Mana: 46

This was definitive proof of the separation. Instead of the high-level Randolph profile, I saw the name Park Hyunmyeong starting from scratch. However, the numbers themselves were staggering for a Level 2.

*‘It’s inheriting Randolph’s attributes.’*

I realized immediately that this impossible growth curve was tied to my other self. These weren’t just temporary buffs; they were manifesting as ‘Pure Stats’!

*‘The bonuses from Randolph’s gear and stars are being funneled into these base numbers.’*

It was mind-blowing. If my theory held, the advantage was astronomical. The evidence was right there in the sub-menus.

****
Natural Regeneration: 11,200%
Total Experience Gain Rate: 200%

The regeneration and experience boosts were traits I had earned through ‘Sloughing.’ While I lacked some specific resistances like Curse Penetration, the sheer utility was immense. I moved on to the next section.

****

1. **‘Infinite Vessel’** – Stat caps are removed; negative effects of cap removal are neutralized.
2. **‘Sloughing’** – Massive boost to health recovery; experience gains are doubled.
3. **‘Heavenly Demon Divine Art’** – Internal energy amplification.
4. **‘Succession’** – Inherits ‘Randolph’s’ stats proportional to current level.
5. **‘Sharing’** – Exchanges experience with ‘Randolph.’ (Randolph’s Current Status: Lv. 9, 30%)

The first two notes explained my stats, but the third was startling. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art had successfully migrated to Park Hyunmyeong. It confirmed that the ‘Heavenly Demon Descent Step’ I used against the hybrids wasn’t just muscle memory—it was an active power. Furthermore, ‘Succession’ and ‘Sharing’ meant that Randolph’s entire progression was bleeding into my own.

*‘My mastery levels are the same, too.’*

It wasn’t just raw power; it was the technical proficiency I had spent a lifetime honing.

****
Bow: Lv.10, Realm of the Master
Sword: Lv.32, Sword Gang Release (Damage +60%)

****
【Health MAX】【Physique MAX】【Intelligence MAX】【Sense MAX】
【Sword Mastery MAX】【Shield Mastery MAX】【Spear Mastery MAX】【Axe Mastery MAX】【Dagger Mastery MAX】【Archery MAX】
【Light MAX】【Darkness MAX】【Air MAX】
【Primordial Fire MAX】【Primordial Water MAX】【Primordial Earth MAX】【Primordial Wind MAX】
【Void MAX】
【Art MAX】【Scholarship MAX】【Leadership MAX】【Observation MAX】

A shiver ran down my spine. Every talent I had worked for was intact. This status window was a complete aberration—it was significantly more powerful than the starting point I had when I first created the Randolph persona.

*‘We are influencing each other in a loop.’*

While most of this was a gift from my time as Randolph, my current actions were feeding back into him. One detail stood out above all others.

*‘When I leveled up, Randolph’s experience bar jumped by 10%.’*

I had to double-check to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. After the 100 Goblins died and my level rose, Randolph’s experience—listed under Special Notes—surged. A full 10% increase from a single level gain.

This meant our progression was synchronized. If I could push Park Hyunmyeong to Level 9, Randolph would hit Level 10 automatically.

*‘I can actually reach… Level 10.’*

I felt my hands tremble with excitement. No reward from clearing the high-level Main Quests could compare to this. The legendary Level 10 barrier, which I had feared was an impassable wall, was finally within reach. I had found the doorway to Transcendence.

And yet, even with that revelation, the most staggering part of my new reality was the final list of traits.

****
【Void】
【Dexterity】
【All Master】
【Weapon Master】
【Giant’s Magic Resistance】
【Druid’s Nature Affinity】
【Heart of the Iron-Blooded Lord】
【Beast Lord】
【Golden Grace】
【Mutant】
【Glutton】
【Great Sage】
【Heavenly Realm (天上)】

Starting a journey with 13 Hidden Traits was a feat only possible for someone in my unique position.