Chapter 279
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[The Constellation 'Witch of the Void' asks you where the Seong Jihan is.]
Yoon Seah, whose constellation had been silent for a while, unexpectedly sought out the Seong Jihan just a few days ago.
"Mom, it's been a while. Why isn't uncle here? He seems to be out for training."
At that time, the Seong Jihan was actually at Artemus's forge, strengthening the dragon flame.
Unaware of the specifics, Yoon Seah had replied to her constellation accordingly.
Then,
[The Constellation 'Witch of the Void' requests you to tell Seong Jihan not to strengthen the void any further if he wishes to prolong the survival of humanity even slightly. It asks what was done to become a 'target of detection' by the will of the void, advising caution.]
[Furthermore, it warns that humanity, as NO. 4212, shows a significant power discrepancy compared to reported data, leading to an intensified surveillance by the void. It advises to be wary as two more abysses will emerge.]
"What? Mom, does that even make sense? Since when did scoring well become a crime?"
[The Constellation 'Witch of the Void' comments that if a student who always ranks last suddenly tops the class, wouldn't everyone be suspicious?]
Reminded by Yoon Seah of the human report previously revealed by the Seong Jihan,
Worthless investment.
Was it a 0.3% chance of staying in the league?
Thinking of it, she felt a sense of acceptance yet unfairness.
"No... well, that's true. But humanity has just gotten lucky with uncle's help. To create more abysses just because of that? Does that make sense? So, if we perform well, more dungeon portals will appear?"
[The 'Witch of the Void' says even she doesn't know, and that it will depend on who the new abysses' owners will be.]
"The owner is..."
[It advises to deal with the newly emerged two abysses before their owners are assigned when the Seong Jihan returns.]
"Got it. But can I deal with the already emerged abyss? Won't more appear?"
[It assures that dealing with the abysses would prove humanity's current rank-worthy capabilities. However, it warns to quickly eliminate them before the owner appears, as it would be nearly impossible to conquer afterwards.]
"I need to act fast."
Yoon Seah, after hearing the warning, eagerly awaited the return of the Seong Jihan.
Pausing her usual level-up routines,
"But to think it would take 15 days."
"I thought it'd be fine even if I returned at the end of the month. May was supposed to be a light schedule."
"Well... it was back then. But now, things have escalated."
Beep!
Yoon Seah turned on the TV with the remote.
The breaking news on the screen announced,
=A new rift has appeared near Pyongyang, taking the form of an abyss. A dark red crevice is expanding, accompanied by powerful earthquakes.
[Note: Pyongyang is the capital and largest city of North Korea.]
=This new abyss is not supported by a giant dungeon portal like the first one. Its size is relatively small. However, the gradual expansion of the rift has put not only the government but also the global BattleNet Association on high alert.
=The World BattleNet Association has requested the assistance of 'Christopher' with an exceptional search gift and 'Seong Jihan,' humanity's strongest player, for this incident...
As the screen changed,
Yoon Seah, with a troubled expression, was being interviewed.
=Uncle...? I'm also waiting. But since there's no schedule until the end of the month, he's continuing his training and said he'd return after. I'm not sure when he'll be back.
=Thus, player 'Seong Jihan' is currently absent.
"...When did you do the interview?"
"After getting calls from the government and the association, and with journalists camping out, it was impossible not to do the interview."
"Alright. So what about Christopher, he's here?"
"Yes. He said he'd embark on an abyss exploration. He's forming a survey team with dad right now."
"You are going too?"
"I have to. Unlike before, I'm now a top-tier player."
Initially, when Yoon Seah first participated in an abyss exploration, she was considered an external power.
But now, thanks to her late bloomer gift, she has grown into one of the top players in Korea.
Of course, it would be safer for her niece to stay at home,
But knowing Yoon Seah's personality, that was unlikely.
"Alright. Let's go."
"Yes. Everyone's gathered at the BattleNet Center. I'll contact them."
Seong Jihan left the house immediately upon his return.
* * *
In front of the newly formed rift, the abyss,
"Unlike the original abyss, no monsters are emerging."
"That's right. It's only causing intermittent earthquakes, with the rift slowly expanding."
"How does its size compare to the first abyss?"
"About half the size."
The survey team dispatched by the BattleNet Association was carefully analyzing the yet-to-be-activated abyss.
However, assessing the abyss from afar had its limits.
Swish!
Seong Jihan stepped forward as the vanguard of the survey team.
"Continue the external investigation, and I'll enter the interior for now."
"Should I join?"
Christopher, a scout within the team, raised his hand, but
"No, I'll just take a quick look inside first. We don't know what might be inside."
Seong Jihan decided to enter alone.
Swoosh!
Jumping into the rift, he began an endless fall inside.
'This one doesn't repel me like the previous abyss did.'
Previously, when Seong Jihan and the Sword King entered an abyss together,
The abyss's owner had changed the entry conditions, claiming that only those affiliated with the Grandowner League could enter, effectively bouncing them out.
But this abyss, lacking an owner, allowed a smooth entry.
However,
'It's endless.'
Shuuuu!
Despite expecting to land by now, the Seong Jihan continued to fall.
He recalled what was said by Seah's constellation,
'If you want to maintain humanity's survival, don't strengthen the void anymore, you've become a target of detection by the void's will...'
The void stat was essential for the Seong Jihan,
Especially now, facing Longinus and preparing for future battles, it was more crucial than ever.
When he was upgraded for eradicating the ancient elf, going against the natural order, when did it suddenly become about linking humanity's fate and the Seong Jihan's void, spawning abysses?
'Hmm...'
Thump!
Seong Jihan, pushing aside unresolved questions, landed on the ground.
In a space engulfed in darkness where not even sunlight penetrated,
But as he lightly spread his index finger,
Whoosh!
The underground space brightened as if it were daylight.
'Using dragon flame as a torch was unexpected.'
The ability, raised to 150 with considerable GP investment, was first used as a torch.
Seong Jihan, with a slight smile, looked around.
'Nothing.'
Contrary to the surface rift's significant presence, the interior was empty.
Yet, the ground shook and the rift slowly expanded,
Indicating an active force within.
Seong Jihan, spreading his martial soul wide, focused on detecting any presence.
And soon,
'I can feel the void's power from there.'
The extremely faint void power, difficult to detect even with the martial soul's spatial control,
Seong Jihan followed this tiny clue, walking deeper.
Then,
Sssss...
The void power, hiding in the darkness,
Began to spread, forming letters.
The characters, alien to this world yet oddly readable by the Seong Jihan, revealed,
[Class 1 Surveillance Target - Gilgamesh' has been detected in this world....]
[Dispatching the Seven-Colored Celestial Bull.]
[Summoning in progress.]
'The abyss was created because of Gilgamesh? Noona's words weren't entirely accurate.'
Class 1 Surveillance Target, Gilgamesh.
Seong Jihan, having offered the Thunder God as a sacrifice to achieve the 4th technique, had awakened him,
Resulting in the abyss's creation like a butterfly effect.
But why was the void attempting to capture Gilgamesh?
As the Seong Jihan pondered,
[Summoning in progress....]
The final sentence's dots began to extend.
Then,
The characters of the Celestial Bull became increasingly clear,
And the faint void power exploded out.
'Gilgamesh may be the target, but it'll be troublesome if the abyss's owner is summoned.'
Is there a way to stop the summoning?
Seong Jihan, contemplating, approached the characters.
Touching the characters with his dragon flame-burning finger,
"Hmm..."
Whoosh!
Instantly, flames spread to the characters, igniting the void-crafted sentence.
'Was this character always vanishing like this? Or is it because...'
Crackle!
The Seong Jihan retracted the dragon flame, summoning the Crimson Thunder instead.
Shuuu...
As the dragon flame extinguished, the burning characters quickly died out, returning to their original state, but the void power weakened.
Adding to this, Seong Jihan presented the Crimson Thunder.
'This won't work.'
Fizzle!
The characters merely passed through the Crimson Thunder.
While the Crimson Thunder contained intense fire power, it didn't affect the characters.
Switching back to dragon flame, the characters ignited again.
Whoosh!
The characters quickly incinerated,
And the fire that consumed all void characters created new ones.
[The summoning circle has been deleted.]
[Summoning failed.]
[The ownerless abyss will close.]
Flash! Flash!
As the message about the abyss closing appeared,
Light burst from the split earth, propelling Seong Jihan's body upward from the rift.
"Oh..."
"What's happening?"
As those on the ground were bewildered,
Thump!
Seong Jihan landed comfortably on the ground upon exiting the abyss.
And upon his emergence,
Rumble!
The split rift rapidly sealed.
"Uncle! What did you do?"
"Jihan! How did you find the dungeon core? Do you have a search ability too?!"
Seong Jihan's swift resolution of the rift had everyone looking at him in astonishment.
Not that they didn't know he was a monster, but even an abyss was swiftly eliminated?
"No. There was no core yet. I just destroyed the summoning circle."
"The summoning circle...?"
"Did brother-in-law check the second abyss?"
"Yes. The Sword King was dispatched there."
"I'll head there first. Take your time coming."
Whoosh!
With those final words, the Seong Jihan vanished.
The survey team, dispatched to the rift, looked at each other in confusion.
"Shouldn't he have just taken a car with him?"
"Uncle is faster than a car."
"Ah. If it's him, then yes..."
"It feels like everything will be resolved by the time we get there."
"Indeed."
With Seong Jihan's involvement, problems were swiftly solved.
The survey team members, feeling fortunate to be deployed alongside him, prepared to depart.
Upon arriving at the second rift,
"Dad. What are you doing there?"
"Um... Your uncle just entered. I'm being repelled by the barrier."
"Uncle entered already?"
"It's been two hours."
The second rift's situation made them grim.
Unlike before, this place wasn't easily resolved.
* * *
Inside the second abyss.
'It's already summoned something.'
Roar!
Seong Jihan, eliminating various monsters as he penetrated deeper, noticed a difference.
Unlike the empty previous abyss,
This place was filled with monsters.
Moreover,
'Only undead.'
Starting with ghosts,
Various giant beasts' bones and corpses attacked from all sides.
Challenging foes for other human players,
But,
Whoosh!
"The dragon flame is quite handy."
Even the mightiest beings turned to ash under the Seong Jihan's dragon fire.
He continued to sweep through the undead, moving towards the source of a powerful energy.
Judging by the pouring undead,
This abyss's owner was related to the undead.
'But... this energy feels familiar.'
Seong Jihan frowned.
The deeper he ventured, the more familiar the force felt.
Similar to the void, yet distinct, a potent aura of death.
It was...
[Hey!! Long time no see!]
Click! Click!
At the abyss's deepest point,
A massive black skeleton greeted the Seong Jihan with clacking teeth.
"...Karlein. Were you dispatched here?"
[Yes! Hey. What trouble did you cause to get marked?!]
"Me?"
[Yes! That damn dragon fire... where did you learn it?!]
Karlein, welcoming the Seong Jihan, glared with red eyes at the dragon flame.
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