Chapter 258

2.

The world event, 『Temple of Apophis』, had ended.

Normally, after such a large-scale event, the development team would be in a festive mood, but.

The developers looked drained of all energy, their expressions exhausted.

The headquarters in Korea was like this, but would the other branches be any different?

With that thought, Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong of the Apophis event team quietly clenched his fist and trembled.

He was overcome with joy thinking about the overtime pay and other allowances he would get this time.

Especially since there were widespread rumors that Chairman Park Won had also participated, meaning the allowances would be generous.

Who cares if it was tough?

The money would console the fatigue.

In the midst of that.

"Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong?"

"Y-yes!?"

Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong was startled by the sudden call.

It was because Chairman Park Won had suddenly appeared behind him.

'Why is the Chairman here???'

The moment that question arose.

Park Won looked at Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong and asked.

"Don't touch this."

"Yes? W-what are you referring to..."

"This."

As Park Won said that and pointed his finger.

Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong's screen, which had been showing something else just a moment ago, suddenly changed.

Looking closely.

The screen showed the user Seonghyun.

And he could see the user Seonghyun, who had obtained tremendous things this time.

'What on earth is this?'

At first, he looked because Park Won pointed it out.

His specs were already enough to catch up to the higher levels.

And he's getting even stronger.

He's even getting another monarch-type skill?

And on top of that.

"Gasp, a m-mythical rank pet???"

They were rewards that couldn't help but cause shock.

An unbelievable enhancement.

No matter how overwhelmingly he took first place in a large-scale event and got a hidden stage, this was quite excessive.

Plus, he had already obtained the Crown of Obsidian Twilight from Over Palace...

As he was thinking that, he belatedly recalled what Chairman Park Won had said.

"You said... to leave it alone?"

"Yes. Well, you don't usually touch things unless it's an error, but."

"Th-that's right."

"That's not an error, so don't touch it."

At the sudden words, Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong had no choice but to nod.

He thought that rewards of this magnitude should have been blocked beforehand.

But for Chairman Park Won to say that meant he had already checked.

And.

'He decided to just leave it be?'

At that thought, he looked at Chairman Park Won with genuine surprise.

He knew well that Chairman Park Won was a meritocrat.

But he wondered if even such excessive rewards could be justified by meritocracy.

As Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong was thinking that.

Park Won smiled to himself and thought.

'This is interesting.'

To think something like a real superpower existed.

He never dreamed that he would use it to get hidden pieces.

'What kind of superpower could it be?'

He wasn't sure, but he would have to watch carefully from now on.

An irregular had appeared in the game he created, destroying the balance to an absurd degree.

But that too was something he had allowed.

As Park Won thought that and moved on.

Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong was smiling contentedly.

The user Seonghyun would get stronger in the future.

But what could he say when the chairman told him to leave it alone?

He felt a sense of relief.

He wouldn't have to worry about the user Seonghyun anymore.

As Assistant Manager Lee Wonsong smiled in comfort.

"And from now on, please keep a close watch on the user Seonghyun and report back to me."

"Yes? Ah..."

"Especially when he gets stronger, please report it well. I think I'll be busy for a while due to the aftermath of the event."

"...Yes... I understand."

It seemed he would have to watch with a stomachache for a while longer.

3.

After receiving all the rewards, Seonghyun returned to the basement of Hexia where he had been.

But he remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the rewards.

They were unbelievable rewards.

Didn't he even get the Crown of Obsidian Twilight?

Seonghyun confirmed them all and felt dazed.

But he had to do what needed to be done.

First, Seonghyun checked Ass's Egg.

First, the soul of Ass that he had collected beforehand.

And the message about the stats he gained from obtaining Ass's soul also came to mind.

[You have shown an ability beyond your current stats through an 'unknown power'.]

[Wisdom+13 and Intelligence+13 permanently increase.]

'Haah.'

Excluding Helena and Hindel, it was the highest stat increase Seonghyun had ever obtained.

Helena's was 30, and Hindel's was 27.

Ass's soul giving 26...

In other words.

'It means Helena and Hindel are higher than a mythical being.'

He already knew how strong Helena was now.

So he could accept that.

But for Hindel, despite being a hero, to be higher than a divine being was a bit surprising.

Since Ass was on par with Apophis.

It was a little unexpected.

In any case, Seonghyun summoned Ass's soul again.

-Ssssk?

To the question of why he was summoned, Seonghyun chuckled and asked back.

As if asking if it wanted to be reborn in the egg.

Now that he was stronger, he could tell that there was no soul in the egg.

It probably meant that a soul hadn't been formed yet because it was before hatching.

After figuring that out, Seonghyun asked Ass's soul.

The soul of Ass nodded as if the question was obvious.

-Ssssk!

After letting the soul of Ass, which was nodding its head vigorously and excitedly, inhabit the egg.

Seonghyun smiled.

Perhaps it wasn't time to hatch yet.

There was no particular reaction after it inhabited the egg.

But for some reason, feeling a slight warmth from the egg, Seonghyun put the egg in his inventory.

'Phew.'

He felt like this was really the end.

The rather long business with Apophis.

He met a new person, Reaper, and also met his backup team after a long time.

There were also quite a few things that happened inside.

'The number of guilds keeping me in check will gradually increase.'

For now, he could handle it alone.

So it wouldn't be a big problem.

But there was a possibility that problems would arise as he climbed higher.

He couldn't be careless.

Well, that didn't mean he could make the backup team suffer.

'Should I log out for now?'

The now-familiar basement of Hexia.

But it was time to leave.

He was level 220.

It was time to leave for the next region.

Did she know?

Karina, the branch manager of Over Palace in Hexia, quietly appeared.

The still grotesque-looking doll mask.

But Karina took off her mask, and with her dark blue hair fluttering, she bowed her head deeply.

"You have worked hard during your time at our Hexia branch. Thank you so much for coming to us."

Seonghyun was rather perplexed by her greeting.

He was the one who had received help, yet she was thanking him.

Because of that.

"No. I'm the one who's grateful. I've been well thanks to you."

"To hear you say that. A star rises in my own mindscape."

Seonghyun nodded at the sight of Karina speaking with a gentle smile.

It was time to part.

That's why Karina said.

"I will escort you to the entrance. May you be well."

With those words, Karina gestured, and a portal appeared.

An amazing ability, even seeing it again.

Seonghyun chuckled at the sight and nodded.

"Let's see each other again if we can."

As Seonghyun said that and headed for the portal.

He arrived at the carriage platform heading to the seventh city.

He hadn't decided which city to go to yet.

This is it for today.

If he had his way, he would have liked to decide on a city, move there, and then log out.

But perhaps because he had exhausted so much mental energy in Apophis?

He wanted to stop here.

As Seonghyun logged out.

[The eternal world, Eternal World, will be waiting for you.]

With the familiar phrase, his consciousness faded, and when he opened his eyes again, he was inside the capsule.

As he opened the capsule door and came out.

"Seonghyun!!!"

"???"

His older sister, Yoo Mina, suddenly rushed at him.

Seeing that, Seonghyun frowned deeply.

To rush at him the moment he stepped out of the capsule.

A perfect surprise attack timing.

But now, Seonghyun's physical abilities were not to be trifled with.

He grabbed Yoo Mina's shoulders as she rushed at him, preventing her from getting any closer.

"Tch. You used to just take it before."

"No, why again?"

As he spoke with a hint of irritation.

Yoo Mina chuckled and said.

"Thanks to you, Seonghyun, I was able to clear Apophis and got an Almighty-rank item. Ah! My skills and level went up too! Thanks to that, I really entered the top 5 ranking!"

"Rank 5???"

This was a bit surprising.

Rank 5 now.

He had heard she beat them all, but he didn't realize the difference was that much.

However, there was another part that surprised him.

'Just one Almighty-rank item as a reward?'

It was a single ranker's stage, after all.

Did she only get that?

Including the pet, how many did he get?

One item, Ass's Egg, plus the Tome of the Monarch, and the Crown of Obsidian Twilight.

Seonghyun thought he should just keep his mouth shut.

Anyway.

"It's my treat today! I'm paying!!!"

Hearing Yoo Mina's shout, their mother, Lee Ingyeong, who was listening from the living room, approached with a smile.

"Oh my, is that true~?"

"Yes, yes! Of course!"

"Your father won't be back for a while, I should tell him to come to the restaurant early~"

Saying that, their mother Lee Ingyeong hurriedly prepared to go out.

His excited sister, Yoo Mina, bounced around the room.

Seonghyun smiled faintly as he watched the two.

It was a nice sight.

'Should I just let it be?'

Anyway, tomorrow he had to log in and think about a new region.

And he had to think about what new monarch skill to get.

"Hanwoo! Let's eat Hanwoo!"

"Oh."

Seonghyun was also tempted by the mention of Hanwoo.

His bank account still had much more money than what he had won from the octopus game.

But food bought by someone else was bound to be delicious.

By the way.

Isn't there a best way to decide on a region?

"Noona, which seventh region did you go to?"

Yoo Mina, who was about to get ready to go out, suddenly stopped at Seonghyun's question and tilted her head.

As if asking if he was already at the seventh region.

Then she thought of Apophis and nodded as if it made sense.

"Hmm, the seventh one."

As Yoo Mina was pondering, she suddenly grinned as if she had thought of something fun.

That kind of smile didn't give a good feeling.

But Seonghyun remained silent.

Yoo Mina opened her mouth.

"Lumencia. That place would be perfect for you."

"Lumencia?"

"Yeah, I'm going to change my clothes first."

Yoo Mina said that and closed the door.

Seonghyun tilted his head at her words and searched on his phone.

The search results came up immediately.

The City of Seven Lights, a place said to be helpful to clerics.

He hadn't looked into it in detail.

But he thought he could somewhat understand why she said it was perfect for him.

'This will be fun.'

He was about to look further but shook his head.

He could find out more by going there himself.

With that thought, Seonghyun pondered which monarch-type skill to choose.

He didn't even know what options there were.

But he hoped it would be a more useful monarch-type skill than the Lord of Terror.

Seonghyun also prepared to go out.

He couldn't resist Hanwoo.