Chapter 264

Chapter 264
## Chapter 264

—

### The Iconic Randolph

“Look at that!”

“Are those the legendary 2nd Generation Awakened?”

“They look incredible!”

A massive sea of spectators surged toward the front of a grand structure to catch a glimpse. This was the main base of the Hero Alliance. Atop a specially constructed stage, roughly twenty individuals stood in a row. Standing before them, the head of the Alliance, Park Tae-woo, was delivering a formal address.

Positioned at the very heart of the group was the man of the hour: Choi Kang-nam. Ranked 3rd in the Hall of Fame, he was the most talked-about figure among the 2nd Generation!

“Vice-Leader, what is your assessment of the 2nd Generation Awakened?”

“Hmm.”

Lee Arin, the Vice-Leader, watched the stage with her arms tucked across her chest. From the perspective of Basara, the 7th Legion Commander of the Demon Realm, these new heroes were still nothing more than clumsy fledglings—unrefined stones.

However, if one focused strictly on ‘potential,’ they were remarkable. Unlike the 1st Generation, who derived their strength from the shards of the shattered Golden Rule, these 2nd Generation individuals had tapped into their power independently, granting them a far higher ceiling for growth.

What caused such a disparity?

‘It likely stems from the environmental shift.’

It was only logical for a human from Earth to thrive on Earth. Conversely, for a denizen of Pangaea to operate on Earth, they were forced to expend significantly more vitality. It was the same principle as spirits being unable to manifest their full might when summoned from the Spirit Realm to the Middle Realm.

But there was a catch…

‘2nd Generation Awakened are unable to enter Pangaea.’

That wasn’t an entirely positive trade-off. While their innate potential was high, the actual setting for cultivation was vastly superior in Pangaea. Earth lacked legitimate dungeons, mystical towers, or weaponry steeped in ancient power.

Pangaea, on the other hand, was saturated with such things. Not only that, but conflict was constant there. Unlike on Earth, one had to physically master the blade and the bow. The entire framework—where one gained status through hunting beasts and daring exploration—was far better integrated in Pangaea.

Still, exceptions always existed. Specifically, a physical vessel possessing enough ‘possibility’ to leap over those hurdles.

“Not terrible,” she remarked casually while observing Choi Kang-nam. It seemed that with the right guidance, he could be shaped into a decent asset.

“Oh…!”

“To think the Vice-Leader would actually praise them!”

“We have quite the talent pool this year.”

The nearby Alliance staff were stunned. It was the first time the Vice-Leader had ever described anyone as ‘not terrible.’ Yet, her true focus wasn’t on Choi Kang-nam.

“Where is Park Hyunmyeong?”

“About that… they report he still hasn’t been located.”

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Park Hyunmyeong was among the top ten performers on the Island of God. In all likelihood, he was the man she had approached with her card that day. That individual, the one bearing the Heavenly Killer Star, had to be Park Hyunmyeong.

‘No matter the effort, it’s as if he vanished into thin air.’

Even with every resource at her disposal, he remained hidden. They had tracked down every person named ‘Park Hyunmyeong’ in the country, but it yielded nothing. He had disappeared as if his very existence had been scrubbed clean.

—Of the top ten scorers on the Island of God, he took down nine by himself.

—That man… he’s a monster. He’s—!

He was definitely real, though. The other nine, Choi Kang-nam included, had all confirmed the existence of ‘Park Hyunmyeong.’ A man who had dominated the trial alone through sheer, overwhelming force. Based on their accounts, Basara had visualized the scene in her mind—specifically, the final clash.

‘8 seconds.’

That was the duration it took to annihilate the nine highest-ranked participants. A mere 8 seconds. Regardless of possessing the Heavenly Killer Star, he was unnaturally powerful. They should have been on a similar level, yet the gap was nonsensical.

*Swish!*
*Fwish!*

In her mind’s eye, Park Hyunmyeong moved with the speed of a lightning strike. As he crossed the hall and threw a punch, a man charging him was instantly dropped. He immediately pivoted his other arm to parry a flank attack, following up with a brutal strike to the face. He utilized a headbutt, shattered a jaw with his knee, and broke a rib with a heavy fist. Each motion transitioned into the next like a flowing river.

‘He is a natural-born combatant.’

Basara’s ‘reconstruction skill’ was divine in its precision. Simply by listening to a description, she could replicate an event with over 90% fidelity.

*Hoooo.*

The respiration of Park Hyunmyeong, after dismantling the top nine in 8 seconds, remained perfectly steady. That rhythm, that focus, every fiber of his being… was he not like a grizzled veteran of a thousand wars? No, even ‘veteran’ felt like an understatement.

‘Is he a reincarnated War God?’

He was just inherently strong. His baseline was on a completely different plane. Like a human designed by fate to be a deity of combat. It was hard to believe this was power gained from the same initial trial everyone else took. Furthermore, for reasons she couldn’t name…

‘War God Karas… Knight King Wilhelm…’

The aura was different, the styles were distinct, and the soul was unique—yet why did she sense traces of those two legendary figures within Park Hyunmyeong? Was it because his talent was of the same blinding caliber?

‘…I want him.’

She felt a deep surge of greed. It had been an age since she had encountered a human she coveted this much. He was a vessel that might reach perfection even without her help. But if she could mold him to her own design, the thought of what he would become filled her with a dark, expectant joy.

*Clap clap clap clap!*

“Let’s hear it for the heroes who represent the future of the Hero Alliance!”

“Choi Kang-nam! Choi Kang-nam!”

“Waaaaah!”

The air exploded with cheers. They were being welcomed into the Alliance with formal certificates. Media cameras flashed incessantly. The entire nation was likely watching this live.

However, Basara’s senses were fixed on something else. Park Hyunmyeong. His cadence and his breath.

…Where was he hiding?

—

The destination I reached with the other successful candidates was entirely different from what I expected.

“Wait, this isn’t…”

“Wasn’t this supposed to take place in the Empire?”

Upon arriving at the venue, the participants murmured in shock. Standing before them, surrounded by a titanic crowd, was a gargantuan spire. Entrants were pouring in from every corner of Pangaea. To host a competition involving tens of thousands, a massive infrastructure was required. There hadn’t been enough time to construct a new arena from scratch. I understood the logic of using an existing landmark.

The issue was *which* landmark they chose.

“The Tower of the War God?”

“What, it’s open again?”

The Tower of the War God! The residence of the master, War God Karas. For some reason, it had been closed to the public, but now its gates were wide open once more.

‘After the fall of Sansha, the Demon of Envy, and the restoration of War God Karas’s true divinity, the tower grew from 20 floors to 30.’

This was the very place I had climbed to complete Main Quest 9, ‘Climb the Tower of the War God.’ I never thought I’d be standing here again. It seemed the renovations were finally complete enough to host the arena.

However, if I ran into War God Karas, my true face might be exposed. Divine beings have the capacity to see through disguises.

‘…I can knock out Main Quest 2 and 3 simultaneously.’

There were definitely perks that outweighed the risks. By ascending, I could finish Main Quest 2, ‘Obtain a Class,’ and Main Quest 3, ‘Climb the Tower,’ in one go. Furthermore, even as Randolph, I hadn’t actually cleared the 30th floor. I had lost the final duel against War God Karas.

“So how does this work?”

“Do we have to beat the Champion to win?”

“Who is the Champion?”

“Look at the sign. Does that say ‘Randolph’?”

Surprisingly, the tower’s Champion wasn’t War God Karas. In front of the spire stood a statue of ridiculous proportions, plated in shimmering gold. That likeness was unmistakably…

‘Randolph.’

This is insane. I fought the urge to curse through sheer willpower.

‘What on earth is that?’

*Sparkle! Sparkle!*

It was so shiny it was borderline painful to look at. It looked like it had been polished with a high-gloss finish, drawing every eye in the vicinity. Below the feet of the statue, massive lettering read:

[New Tower of the War God, 1st Generation Champion ‘Randolph’]
[He who ascends to the 30th floor and bests the Champion shall forge a new legend.]

…That was the declaration. My skin crawled.

‘Ka… ra… s…!’

War God Karas! It appeared that since he got his divinity back, he decided to go overboard with the tower’s rebranding. Or was he always this tacky?

*Sparkle! Sparkle!*

…What kind of wax did he use to make it reflect light like that?

“Hah.”

Staring up at the golden image of Randolph, I instinctively pressed a hand to my forehead.

—

At the pinnacle of the tower, War God Karas gazed down at the swarming crowds with a satisfied grin.

“A very successful grand opening.”

The more the tower was utilized, the more his divine power flourished. This was why tower masters crafted challenges and welcomed seekers. The renovated Tower of the War God was far more impressive than its previous iteration. And the crown jewel was the Champion’s statue radiating light right at the gate!

‘Seeing that will spark a fire in everyone to become the next Champion.’

One had to provoke the competitive spirit. That was the sole reason for the monument. It was a flawless likeness of Randolph, the warrior who had traded blows with him. Look at it. See how regal and imposing it is. Every single visitor was mesmerized by it!

“Doesn’t it look magnificent, even on second glance?”

“Caw!”

“Truly, Randolph has such sharp, vibrant features.”

“Caw!”

Beside him, massive crows dressed in priestly robes gave their approval. They were the Ancient Crow Clan, followers of Karas. These weren’t the Clan of Ill-Omen that usually ran the tower, but the ‘Clan of Calamity,’ whose power rivaled them. After all, Karas was the original deity of the Clan of Calamity.

“This tower is meant for surpassing one’s boundaries. I allowed this event because it fits that goal, though I wonder if any human is actually capable of reaching the 30th floor to challenge the Champion.”

“Caw!”

“You agree, don’t you?”

“Caw!”

“Yes, quite. On another note, where did Randolph wander off to?”

“Caw!”

“No matter. It’s unlikely any human will reach the 30th floor regardless.”

Randolph wasn’t present. But then again, Randolph wasn’t a contestant in the human tournament. Besides, the idea of a mortal reaching the 30th floor was a dream beyond their reach. The upgraded tower was a gauntlet designed to break anyone at their limit. Of course, if someone actually made it, Randolph would need to be called, but he was certain that wouldn’t happen. You couldn’t just brute-force your way to the top.

‘Don’t play by your rules; play by mine.’

The tournament organized by the Empire? He didn’t care about it. Their regulations and standards were irrelevant to him. The moment they stepped inside his tower, they were bound by the laws Karas had set.

—

“The competition is split into three brackets: Warrior, Knight, and King. For the first phase, you will face opponents within your own rank.”

Over a hundred thousand souls were packed into the arena on the tower’s ground floor. In the middle of the space, the announcer’s voice boomed.

“Momentarily, a ‘number’ will manifest above your heads. This ‘number’ will dictate which bracket you belong to.”

*Tring!*
*Tring!*

Abruptly, chimes echoed throughout the hall. Digital-like ‘numbers’ began to hover over everyone’s heads. I glanced up at my own.

‘4. It’s indicating level.’

The number 4. What was the logic here? Above every person, their numerical level was visible. The only way this could be happening was…

‘Archangel.’

The same Archangel system utilized by the Evil God Cult. I could sense its presence nearby. It seemed the Archangel, responsible for data management, had calculated and displayed everyone’s power level.

“Those with a 5 or lower are in the Warrior class. Scores from 6 to 10 are the Knight class. Anyone at 11 or higher is designated a ‘King’ and will compete in a separate bracket.”

Three different tiers. But a thought occurred to me: wasn’t there supposed to be a singular victor?

“You may wonder how the ultimate winner is chosen. There might be one champion, or perhaps three. It all comes down to the verdict of ‘Lyca-nim.’ However, the top 10 finishers in each tier will receive the high honor of joining the ‘Eight Excellence Knights.'”

“…!”

The crowd went silent. At least 30 people would have a shot at joining the Eight Excellence Knights. It was a life-altering prospect. The rank of an Eight Excellence Knight carried more weight than being the governor of most major cities.

“And now, Lyca-nim will address the assembly.”

“…Lyca?”

“No way, for real?”

The room began to buzz with frantic whispers. Lyca, a figure who had never appeared in public until this very moment, was stepping into the light.

*Gooooo.*

The ambient light faded, and a man walked out from the edge of the arena floor. The audience was instantly silenced by the sheer weight of his presence. His charisma was suffocating. There was no doubt—this was Lyca, the leader of the Eight Excellence Knights. Many titles were attributed to him, but only one mattered:

The Mightiest Knight in the Empire!

Nothing else needed to be said. Lyca reached the center and scanned the room. Those who caught his gaze flinched, overwhelmed by the pressure he radiated.

“Guh…!”

A few people actually passed out just from the intensity of his stare. One by one, he evaluated the participants, and not a single soul could look him in the eye without trembling.

“…?”

Before long, Lyca’s eyes locked onto me.