Panda Novel
Chapter 276
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
Chapter 276
To obtain the Ultimate Power, it was necessary to visit a specific location, just as with the Celestial Hall.
Jeong-hoon headed to the portal he had previously used to cross over to Darvis.
In front of the massive portal, there was an NPC guarding it, just like before.
===
[NPC Information]
- Nickname: Hyde
- Level: 250
- Class: Darvis Portal Gatekeeper
===
"Hm? How long has it been since you crossed over, and you're already back?"
Hyde recognized Jeong-hoon and tilted his head in curiosity.
"Ah, I just have a place I need to visit."
"A place? Where exactly?"
"The Ultimate Hall."
The location where the Celestial Power was obtained was the Celestial Hall. Similarly, the Ultimate Power could be obtained at a place called the Ultimate Hall.
And how did he know this?
[By heading to the Ultimate Hall, you can begin the Path to the Ultimate (2).]
It was through the quest information.
"I'm sorry, but I've never heard of any place called the Ultimate Hall," Hyde said with a laugh, waving his hand dismissively.
It was a place he had never heard of, and even if it existed, accessing it via this portal seemed impossible.
However, Jeong-hoon smiled and approached the portal.
"I can go."
"…That's impossible."
"Check it for yourself."
With those words, Jeong-hoon entered the portal.
Hyde, still doubtful, had no choice but to check the portal.
His eyes widened in astonishment.
"No… How is this possible?"
As Jeong-hoon entered the portal, a new location called the Ultimate Hall appeared.
In other words, it was now possible to travel to the Ultimate Hall.
"Can I go now?"
"Uh… Yes, I understand."
[Moving to the Ultimate Hall.]
When Jeong-hoon selected the Ultimate Hall, his body was sucked into the portal.
* * *
Bang!
The sound of a gunshot echoed.
"Kyyaaaack!"
A sharp scream followed as a massive body collapsed forward.
"Got it."
Lee Na-eun, who had been aiming at the target until the end, finally allowed herself to relax.
The recently hunted monster was a Level 350 Great Hydra.
It was an evolved version of the Level 300 Hydra, making it a significantly more formidable foe.
Hunting such a monster wasn’t an easy task, but in front of Lee Na-eun, the Genesis Sniper, the Great Hydra stood no chance and was defeated.
“Wow… that was amazing,”
the healer watching from the sidelines expressed admiration.
Lee Na-eun was in the middle of completing a quest to close a theme dungeon that had opened in the Alderma Count’s Territory. She was accompanied by 30 allies, including knights, mages, and healers.
Though all of them were above Level 200, they were no match for the Level 350 Great Hydra.
Even for Na-eun, who was Level 330, it was a boss monster with a level advantage of 20.
However, she was the Genesis Sniper.
Using Genesis Shot, she temporarily sealed the transparent barrier surrounding the Hydra for three minutes.
Then, with another Genesis Shot, she precisely struck the Hydra’s head, sealing another special ability for three minutes.
The Hydra’s eyes betrayed its panic as a crucial ability was sealed.
Taking advantage of this opening, the knights charged at the Hydra while Na-eun aimed her Annihilation Shot at its head.
Bang!
The Annihilation Shot struck the Hydra’s head, causing it to stagger. From there, the strategy proceeded smoothly.
Finally, Na-eun delivered the finishing blow with her Annihilation Shot, and the Great Hydra was defeated.
“We’ve exterminated the Great Hydra!”
“Hurrah!”
The knights raised their swords high, cheering in triumph.
“Thanks to you, we were able to defeat the Great Hydra.”
“We’re truly grateful.”
Following the successful hunt, Lee Na-eun returned to the Count’s territory. To the Count and everyone else, she became a hero.
However, she hadn’t hunted the Great Hydra to be called a hero.
She noticed the blinking exclamation mark above the Count’s head.
[Quest completed.]
[You have perfectly subjugated the Great Hydra.]
[You can now claim a ‘special reward.’]
The special reward.
This was likely the key to obtaining a serendipitous opportunity.
“Take whatever you desire!”
The Alderma Count opened a vault he personally managed.
Inside the vault were various items, but Na-eun chose an old key among them.
“I’ll take this.”
The ‘Mysterious Key.’
The Count looked troubled as he spoke.
“Are you sure about that? That key was something my grandfather stumbled upon, and its purpose is unknown.”
He suggested she take something else instead.
“It’s fine. I’ll take this.”
But Na-eun already knew.
This was the key to obtaining the serendipitous opportunity.
“…Very well.”
The Alderma Count couldn’t persuade her further.
As Lee Na-eun left the manor, she noticed a message from her son, Jeong-hoon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
[Mother, how are things going?]
Na-eun smiled warmly as she typed a reply.
It was thanks to her proud son that she had come this far.
This serendipitous opportunity was also something he had guided her toward, so there was no doubt it held incredible potential.
***
[You have entered the Ultimate Hall.]
Jeong-hoon received a reply from his mother as he stepped into the Ultimate Hall.
Reading her message brought a smile to his lips.
‘Mother will soon claim her reward too.’
The Alderma Count’s territory—where his mother had gone.
If one sequentially completed the quests there, it would lead to the Great Hydra.
Successfully defeating the Hydra would prompt the Count to present rewards, among which was the ‘Mysterious Key.’
The key’s purpose was tied to ruins located at the eastern edge of Darvis.
Although the ruins had already been fully explored by players, after the game’s realization, the ruins were remade, with a hidden serendipitous opportunity placed within.
The path to that opportunity was locked with an indestructible seal.
To open the lock, the ‘Mysterious Key’ was essential. Once used, the door would open permanently.
In other words, the first person to claim it would be the rightful owner.
“The others seem to be doing fine too.”
Jeong-hoon received replies from Yeo Sunwoo and Yeo Min-Ji.
Their delayed responses were due to questing, but both reported success.
By the time Jeong-hoon fully claimed the ultimate power, all of them would have secured their serendipitous rewards as well.
“Now I just need to finish my part.”
Jeong-hoon took a step forward.
The Ultimate Hall was similar in design to the Celestial Hall, but it was an entirely different structure.
At its center stood an NPC, staring at Jeong-hoon with disbelief.
The NPC’s shocked expression was almost amusing.
===
[NPC Information]
- Name: Hariel
- Level: 1,000
- Class: Guide to the Ultimate
===
Unlike during his time in the Celestial Hall, the NPC’s name and level were visible.
‘Oh, is this due to my title effect?’
The display of question marks indicated an extreme gap in power.
Jeong-hoon had raised his current title to Level 10, increasing its rank.
As a result, he could now discern the NPC’s name and level.
“How… how did you find your way here?”
Hariel’s trembling voice betrayed his shock.
“I gathered all the Ultimate Energy. Why wouldn’t I be here?”
Jeong-hoon gave a faint smile and shrugged his shoulders once.
"You’ve gathered all the energy?"
"Yes."
"It’s… true, isn’t it?"
"Would I lie about something like that?"
"Unbelievable… How in the world did you gather all the Ultimate Energy?"
Hariel’s astonishment was understandable.
After the game's realization, the limit on Celestial Energy had been lifted.
Many were now collecting Celestial Energy in hopes of advancing beyond the Legendary stage.
But for someone to have already accumulated 100% of Ultimate Energy?
Collecting Ultimate Energy required specific conditions.
One had to hunt down beings who had transcended to the Celestial realm.
This didn’t mean hunting humans who had ascended, but rather eliminating transcendents.
Even then, the amount gained would typically range from 0.1% to 0.3% per kill.
"There are ways."
"…Don’t tell me you received energy from a Sovereign-level being?"
Sharp, as expected.
After all, to achieve 100%, intervention from a transcendent above a certain level was inevitable.
Jeong-hoon nodded honestly.
"Yes."
"…I see."
"Then, may I begin the quest immediately?"
Even with all the energy, it wasn’t possible to claim the Ultimate Power outright.
[To claim the Ultimate Power, you must complete all the quests of the Path of the Ultimate.]
Jeong-hoon had only completed the first quest of the Path of the Ultimate.
In that quest, he had upgraded various skills, starting with the Underworld King's Fist Technique, transforming them into the Heavenly Demon Lord's Divine Art.
‘What will the reward for the next step be?’
The NPC snapped his fingers, and a portal appeared a short distance away.
"If you want to receive the next quest from me, you’ll have to perfectly clear that portal."
"Understood."
Jeong-hoon approached the portal.
[Do you wish to enter the Castle of Shadows, where destruction looms? Lv. 920]
A dungeon with a recommended level of 920.
‘This won’t be an easy quest.’
During Path of the Ultimate (1), Jeong-hoon had faced the transcendent Demon King Bulang.
The quest required him to endure for ten minutes, which made it relatively easy to clear. However, this second step was bound to be much harder.
The difficulty made sense. Path of the Ultimate (1) had become available after surpassing 8% of Ultimate Energy, whereas Path of the Ultimate (2) only unlocked after reaching a staggering 60%.
[Path of the Ultimate (2) begins.]
[The entry restriction for the Castle of Shadows, where destruction looms, is lifted.]
‘Enter.’
As Jeong-hoon declared his intent to enter, his body was pulled into the portal.
***
‘Who in the world…? Who would grant such an enormous amount of energy to a human?’
Hariel stared at the portal with a confused expression.
A human with a level just slightly above 500.
For a human, it was undeniably a remarkable level.
However, he hadn’t even reached the Celestial Realm yet, and now he was aiming for the Ultimate.
It was an utterly absurd situation.
At that moment, the air began to distort, and crimson eyes emerged through the cracks.
<Are you the guide?>
It was Baal.
Baal, the Sovereign of the Demon Realm.
As soon as Hariel met his gaze, he prostrated himself deeply.
"I greet the great Sovereign of the Demon Realm."
<Indeed.>
"May I dare ask why such an exalted being would grace this humble place with your attention?"
<I couldn’t help but take interest. That Ultimate Energy is essentially something I fully provided.>
"What?!"
Hariel almost committed the grave sin of reacting disrespectfully.
To think that the Ultimate Energy had been bestowed by the Sovereign of the Demon Realm.
What exactly was this human to deserve such a gift?
<An incredibly amusing human. He entertains me greatly.>
"B-but isn’t the Ultimate Power far too excessive for a human…?"
<You dare spout nonsense simply because you have a mouth. I feel like grinding you into a pulp.>
"M-my apologies!"
Hariel’s body began trembling uncontrollably from fear.
If the Sovereign were to become truly angry, Hariel’s life would end right here.
<Unfortunately for me, it seems I cannot do that. You should be grateful to that human. Without him, you’d already be dead.>
"Y-yes…!"
<Now, I’m curious about your opinion. Do you think that human can claim the Ultimate Power?>
Why was he asking such a question?
Hariel’s mind raced rapidly.
"A-as he is the human chosen by the Sovereign, how could I dare judge?"
Baal’s eyes curved into crescent moons, seemingly pleased with the response.
<I have yet to form a contract.>
At the mention of a contract, Hariel looked up in shock.
"A-a contract? Are you considering it?"
The idea of the great Sovereign making a contract with a mere human was shocking.
Such dealings were typically reserved for beings of the Apostle level.
<For that to happen, the human must fail to claim the Ultimate Power.>
"I-I see…"
<That being said, I’d like you to raise the difficulty of the trial.>
"The difficulty of the trial?"
<Yes. I want to ensure that he fails and is left with no choice but to seek me.>
Hariel nodded.
Although he didn’t know the exact reason, he too did not want the human to claim the Ultimate Power.
If Baal had ordered him to assist the human in achieving the power, it would have been troublesome, but Baal’s command aligned perfectly with Hariel’s desires.
"Understood! I will do everything in my power to ensure he fails."
<Good. I’ll be expecting results.>
With those words, Baal vanished.
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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