Chapter 33

Chapter 33
## Chapter 33: King of the Ravens

Dimension Warriors.

They are the legendary champions shielding our reality from the incursions of foreign realms!

The globe was gripped by an unparalleled state of panic and dread following their emergence.

Grotesque beasts began manifesting without warning, while select individuals known as Descenders underwent metamorphosis into powerful superhumans.

The world’s financial systems plummeted to rock bottom as a mixture of fervent praise, deep-seated anxiety, and skepticism toward the future took hold, fueling the rapid spread of diverse conspiracy theories.

Inevitably, digital hubs centered on these phenomena began to sprout up everywhere.

Among them, one particular platform experienced a meteoric rise in global popularity.

[Interdimensional Community]

This digital behemoth managed to attract a staggering one billion unique visitors in just over a month.

The primary engine behind the ‘Interdimensional Community’s’ incredible expansion was the active participation of numerous ‘Dimension Warriors.’

-Warriors! Is the end of days truly upon us? (Lv.0 monsters)

-The world will endure as long as we stand to defend it. (W.VV Master)

-I heard that you Warriors can actually see game-like status windows! (Lv.0 haljen)

-South Korea is such a gaming hub; they really do come up with the most creative concepts, don’t they? (W.8 Sera)

-Just how many Dimension Warriors are part of this group? (Lv.0 pelltra)

-There are currently 53 Warriors engaging with everyone here. (W.V DarkStar)

-Who holds the title of the world’s most powerful Warrior? (Lv.0 angel15)

-That would undeniably be Master, the creator of the Interdimensional Community! (W.8 Sera)

Famous Dimension Warriors were officially integrated into the Interdimensional Community, frequently interacting with the public through comments.

The (W) prefix in their handles stood for Warrior, followed by alphanumeric codes that served as indicators of their specific combat tiers.

They functioned as an early warning system for the public regarding looming dangers and drafted extensive manuals on how to survive monster outbreaks.

Even sovereign states began endorsing the Interdimensional Community. Faced with the ‘unfathomable,’ even the most powerful governments found themselves overmatched.

However, such open communication was restricted to the ‘public sectors.’

—

High-ranking members of the Global Federation and world-renowned figures were issued exclusive VIP credentials.

Logging in with these accounts granted them entry into concealed forums.

-[Beasts of Other Realms]-

-[Artifacts of Foreign Dimensions]-

-[Sacred Medicine Trade]-

-[The Seer’s Chronicles (VIP.7)]-

—

These VIP accounts were categorized into various tiers based on the user’s status.

The specific boards accessible to them were strictly dictated by these security clearances.

The most sought-after section was, predictably, the ‘Sacred Medicine Trade.’

Elite members showed a desperate fascination with the ‘Sacred Medicine,’ a substance capable of mending any injury and, at higher purities, even repairing shattered nerves or regrowing lost limbs.

Marketed as a fountain of youth, it served as the cornerstone for the security and expansion of the Interdimensional Community.

Then there was the Seer’s Chronicles.

This section held the cryptic notations of a prophet regarding significant global shifts. Access was restricted solely to national leaders.

Yet, even above that, the rare privilege of communicating directly with the Community’s founder, Master, was reserved for a mere five individuals on the planet, including the American President.

Still, regardless of how prestigious a VIP account might be, there remained one sanctuary they were forbidden from entering.

—

That was the Warrior Sanctum.

This area was reserved for the 53 elite warriors who had undergone rigorous vetting by the Interdimensional Community.

Only they possessed the clearance for this private domain.

-[Bounties(+Updated!)]-

-[Unified Coalition Board(+Updated!)]-

-[Class-Specific Talent Transitions]-

-[Optimal Level-Based Grinding Zones]-

-[Analytical Study of Talent and Attribute Links]-

-[Primary Mission Tactics and Briefs]-

-[Verified Concealed Traits to Date(+Updated!)]-

Click!

Master, the architect of the Interdimensional Community and a premier combatant, clicked his peripheral.

-[Bounty Registry]-

—Totsumancer Banyack (Threat Level 3) / Terminated

—Blood Ghost Weizhang (Threat Level 4) / Terminated

—Mad Massacre (Threat Level 6) / Active Hunt

—Braincleaver Isaac (Threat Level 7) / Active Hunt

—Dragonslayer Barmusch (Threat Level 9) / Active Hunt

—Phantom Randolph (Threat Level 10) / Live Capture Essential

······.

The list contained nearly a hundred names.

This database compiled individuals whose high threat levels posed a risk to both the physical world and the realm of Pangeniar.

‘Totsumancer Banyack has been neutralized.’

He wasn’t a massive threat, but he had been leaking sensitive information in the public sphere, which led to his blacklisting.

There was no benefit in the masses learning that these transdimensional fighters originated from a simulation titled Pangeniar.

Exposing that truth would only strip away the awe and authority the warriors commanded.

‘No further updates.’

He concluded his routine verification.

Click!

Master moved on to explore other sections.

-[Verified Concealed Traits to Date(+Updated!)]-

—The Void

—Precision

—Weapon Master

—Lord of Beasts

—Colossus’s Arcane Shield

—Divine Benevolence

—Glutton

Six hidden attributes had been identified over the span of five years.

Now, a seventh had been documented.

‘So, Glutton has appeared.’

Master’s gaze sharpened with curiosity.

Concealed traits were far more than mere talents; they were the fundamental links connecting both realities.

They functioned like divine mandates that operated independently of one’s experience level.

‘In a clash between two transcendents of equal rank, the one possessing a concealed trait holds the definitive advantage.’

To put it plainly, a single concealed trait was comparable in value to an entire rank of power.

Their utility and the authority they granted were that significant.

Research had confirmed that, unlike standard skills, these traits also ‘matured’ alongside a player’s level and their journey toward transcendence.

For those at the top of the hierarchy, this data was indispensable.

‘One can unlock fresh talents and trigger concealed traits through specific achievements.’

While talents could be purchased with SP during character setup, most participants had been pulled into the fray without a single one to their name.

However, that didn’t mean they were forever locked out.

Through intense discipline, combat experience, or the consumption of rare tonics, talents could be awakened.

Yet, there was a cap on how many could be earned through those channels.

The most reliable path was utilizing the bonuses from primary missions to trigger new abilities.

‘To achieve that, one must navigate the complex talent trees required to manifest a concealed trait.’

But since they were ‘concealed’ by definition, almost no data existed regarding which specific combinations of talents would unlock them.

This forum was the central hub for mapping out those ‘talent trees’ and their practical applications.

It was the kind of information that even a top-tier player like Master found intoxicating.

Developing every possible talent was a logistical impossibility.

Even the most elite fighters only managed to secure a few dozen specialized talents.

Yet, the total number of talents reached into the hundreds.

Click!

—Regarded as the least effective of all discovered concealed traits.

—An attribute that allows the user to absorb the properties of a ‘primed’ boss monster’s essence by ‘digesting’ it.

—The fatal flaw: the beast’s inherent toxins and psychic decay are absorbed simultaneously.

—An experimental subject with this trait was tested using a primed boss essence. Upon consumption, the individual succumbed to madness and perished within twelve hours.

—The subject displayed minor physical alterations and beast-like qualities, but a full metamorphosis was never achieved.

—The internal toxins of the monster actually intensify and mutate upon being processed. It is hypothesized that even a transcendent body with high poison immunity could not survive the process.

—The psychic degradation is equally severe. Even with the highest-tier mental shield, ‘Fortress of the Mind,’ the subject’s consciousness fractured.

—Believed to manifest when ‘Vitality,’ ‘Physique,’ ‘Stamina,’ ‘Flame,’ ‘Shadow,’ ‘Void,’ ‘Versatility,’ ‘Flavor,’ ‘Rapport,’ and ‘Communication’ talents are all pushed to their maximum potential.

Master’s expression soured.

‘This is nothing more than a suicidal trait.’

It was a death sentence for whoever possessed it.

Furthermore, the prerequisite talent list was absurd.

He saw several talents there he wouldn’t dream of investing in.

The cost of maxing out those specific abilities just to gamble on a volatile trait was far too high.

“Hmph.”

With a dismissive grunt, Master shut down his terminal.

He considered the entire research entry a waste of his focus.

[The lethal venom of the ‘Digested’ Corpse Raven essence is suppressed by ‘Colossus’s Arcane Shield.’]

[The spiritual hex and profound psychic rot of the ‘Digested’ Corpse Raven essence are neutralized by ‘Iron-Blooded Lord’s Heart.’]

[‘Lord of Beasts’ cements your authority over the mutated attribute.]

[‘Mutation’ finalizes the physiological shift and integration.]

[The ‘Glutton’ trait has transitioned into ‘King of the Corpse Ravens.’]

I glanced down to inspect my new form.

I was covered in pitch-black plumage, and a jagged, sharp beak now sat where my mouth used to be.

‘I’ve turned into a Corpse Raven.’

At this moment, I was one of them.

Every fiber of my being resonated with the identity of the bird.

‘This must be the true nature of Glutton.’

Glutton—the secret trait that had remained dormant until now.

I hadn’t been certain of the requirements, but it appeared that ‘primed essences’ were the essential component.

I hadn’t anticipated a transformation this absolute, though. It was far more profound than any illusion or mimicry spell a mage could cast. I was a Corpse Raven in every biological sense.

‘King of the Corpse Ravens.’

And I wasn’t just a common scavenger.

Reaching up, I felt the unmistakable presence of a small, jagged crown atop my head.

I had ascended to the rank of royalty.

Creatures classified as ‘Kings’ existed on a plane of power far beyond that of standard boss monsters.

‘New abilities have manifested as well.’

I looked over the skill set.

I was now capable of utilizing the high-tier magic of the Corpse Raven lineage.

[Activating ‘Call of the Corpse Ravens.’]

[The quantity of the flock is determined by the strength of your divine energy.]

I tested one of the new powers: Call of the Corpse Ravens.

Caw! Caaaw!

Two massive ravens erupted from my chest, taking flight and circling the area.

These were boss-class Corpse Ravens, considerably larger than the typical variety.

Only the sovereign of the flock possessed the right to command these elite subordinates—a mark of royal blood.

I watched my new minions with a sense of pride.

‘This essence acts as the anchor for the metamorphosis.’

A glowing violet core was lodged in my chest, reminiscent of a high-tech power source.

Should that core be destroyed, the transformation would shatter.

But as long as it remained intact, I could shift between this form and my original self as I pleased.

“······!”

Isabella’s gaze was wide with shock as she stared at my transformation.

“There’s no cause for alarm, caw.”

“St-Star Awakener······ sir?”

“It’s still me, caw. Reaching Kramdel will be much simpler now, caw.”

Why was I adding a bird call to every sentence?

I tried to suppress the urge, but it was involuntary.

If I didn’t add the caw, the thought felt incomplete.

Isabella looked at me with a pained expression.

“Are you planning to enter Kramdel alone······ looking like that?”

“You’re coming with me, caw.”

Thud! Clatter!

I dropped a bundle of items on the floor, and Isabella looked down at them, confused.

“Is this not your personal gear, Star Awakener-sir?”

“That’s the Michella’s Set, caw. Combining all three pieces grants the Heavenly Dragon wings, caw.”

Ugh. This is incredibly frustrating.

My initial strategy for entering Kramdel was straightforward.

The Heavenly Dragon perk from the Michella’s Set was meant to be my secret pass.

But now that I had evolved into the ‘King of the Corpse Ravens,’ that particular disguise was no longer necessary.

“We move, caw.”

Caw!

Caaaw!

The two ravens echoed my cry in unison.

“······.”

Isabella remained silent, her expression a mix of bewilderment and resignation as she watched us.

Leveraging my Mutant attribute, we spent half a day navigating the dungeon’s concealed corridors until I spotted a massive, upright rodent wearing a dark helm.

【Lv. 8】

That rodent was another primed boss entity.

“Hmm? This trail is supposed to be visible only to ‘Guides’?”

The beastly rat narrowed its eyes and raised its sharp claws, looking suspicious.

Had it detected my true nature?

However, the moment of tension passed quickly.

Once it took a closer look at myself and Isabella, it lowered its weapons.

“Oh! My apologies. My vision isn’t what it used to be. A ‘King of the Corpse Ravens’ traveling with a ‘Half-Dragonkin.’ A rare sight indeed······ Is Kramdel your destination?”

“It is, caw.”

“Stay close to me then. If you lose your way, you might find yourself falling into the ‘Abyss.'”

The monster disguise was flawless.

Even a designated Guide couldn’t see through it. It was definitive proof that my transition into the King of the Corpse Ravens was absolute.

Shortly after, the Guide rat began leading us into the heart of Kramdel.