CH 632

This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

It was just like when the first Athenae: World War and the Battle of the Thrones were launched; the entire world was starting to heat up in excitement once again. Everyone was solely focused on Athenae. All of this was because of the notifications that rang about the Battlefield of the Gods.

[He is originally a God class.]

[He will now be able to challenge the realms of the True God class.]

[Information about the Battlefield of the Gods will be announced soon.]

These notifications rang for all of the God class players.

[The very first player that has reached the qualifications to become a True God class, has been born to the world!]

[You will be given the chance to take on the challenge.]

The Battlefield of the Gods was expected to be an event that was only accessible to God class players. The reason why many people were paying attention to the Battlefield of the Gods was the God class players. These players were literally god-like existences in their own fields. It was the case with Hyemin’sDaddy, the descendant of the God of Blacksmiths Hepas and the blacksmith hailed as the best among all of the players in the world.

At the same time, the entire world had some doubts.

[What does it mean, that they can challenge the player that has received the qualifications to become a True God class?]

[There’s no way that he’s going to fight all of the God classes in the world alone, right?]

[Ey. Fat chance.]

[Would that even balance out? Well, there’s a chance if it’s 1:1.]

Guesses and speculations became rampant. All of the God class players all over the world could take on the challenge. It was the opportunity to challenge the player with the qualifications. In other words, all of the God class players were now viable challengers.

Currently, in Joy Co. Ltd., President Kang Taehoon was looking at the members of the board and department heads, a serious expression on his face. He asked, “Production Team, is it truly impossible to change the content? If not, how will it then proceed?”

The Production Team began their briefing, “The one that is qualified to become a True God will become a God in the Battlefield of the Gods. They would then compete with the God class challengers in a variety of ways. Once the challenge begins, the one that is qualified to become a True God can successfully transcend, if he can achieve a total score that is 30% more than the total score of the challengers. However, if he falls short of that score, the one with the highest score among the God class challengers will then be entrusted with the qualifications to become a True God.”

President Kang Taehoon and everyone at Joy Co. Ltd. nodded at those words. However, it was likely that this would still bring a huge shock to the players. Was there even a chance that the one that received the qualifications could win with this? However, Joy Co. Ltd. was not stupid.

“Instead, the one that is qualified to become a True God will receive various privileges. Just like how the kings in the Battle of the Thrones received privileges.”

“Continue.”

“One of those special privileges is the player becoming a True God. Simply put, he would become a ‘God’ inside that battlefield.”

Kang Taehoon and the board members nodded.

“His abilities will be doubled in strength, while his skills will increase by 1.5x and his HP by 5x.”

Kang Taehoon continued to nod. That player would be a True God, albeit temporarily, with this much power. It would be the only way for that player to compete against the God class players in the world. However…

“Can the player that is qualified to become a True God really be able to compete with almost 500 God class challengers with just this?” One of the board members asked.

Five hundred God class players were no joke; once they gathered, it would be very easy for them to sweep away an entire kingdom. A battlefield where they could unite and fight together should not be allowed to exist in the first place.

God class players were all strong individuals that had reached the peak of Athenae. Even if the one that qualified to become a True God became a God at that point, could he truly endure the onslaught of attacks of these monstrous beings?

Kang Taehoon also agreed with this sentiment. Unfortunately, tripling all of his abilities temporarily would not work either.

‘That would make hunting him impossible.’

Assuming that the God player was Level 600, tripling his abilities would make him reach Level 1,800. Once he reached that level, no one would be able to take him on, even if many God class players had gathered together to fight him.

Then, Team Leader Park Minggyu opened his mouth and said, “Gods have envoys that serve them.”

“…!”

“…!”

The impact of Minggyu’s words was very huge. Gods had priests and envoys that acted on their behalf and used some of their powers.

“The God player will receive rewards every time they endure attacks from several players or they win a battle against an incomplete God. What if that reward gives him the power to summon an envoy’? Or we can also do it differently by allowing the God player to place all of the envoys that he has in between him and the challengers.”

“…That would be the best.”

“That sounds really interesting.”

It was a suggestion that drew a positive response. However, some of the board members still had questions.

“But what if the God player doesn’t have any envoys?” Department Head Kim Dae-Il asked. Actually, he was one of the few people that did not go to the Special Players Management Team. In other words, he did not see who the player that met with Sword God Valen in the Abyss was.

In fact, almost all of the board members did not witness that scene. On top of that, the moment Minhyuk cleared all thirteen gates of the Abyss, President Kang Taehoon sent a confidentiality agreement to all of the people that were present in the Special Players Management Team that day. He immediately made thorough preparations to hide who the player was, even within Joy Co. Ltd.

“That’s a needless worry.”

“Is that so?” Kim Dae-Il said. However, he still could not trust their words.

‘No matter how many Named NPCs come out, they won’t be able to deal with hundreds of God class players. It doesn’t make sense, you know?’

On top of that, these were God-like players they were talking about. Seeing the doubt on Kim Dae-Il’s face, Kang Taehoon thought, ‘It’s possible. After all, his envoys are the Spear God, one of the Six Monster Gods, a demon, a great pirate, and the supreme divine beast.’

***

Haze had a meeting with Minhyuk, who had met with Valen. The truth was, Haze was really worried about Minhyuk. But contrary to her expectations, Minhyuk was calm and relieved.

‘Your final teachings. Thank you, Instructor.’

Now, Minhyuk had to go back to his daily life. Before returning back to that life, Minhyuk handed over a ticket that he had filled out to Haze.

“…!”

However, Haze was rendered speechless when she saw the ticket that Minhyuk handed over to her.

‘There’s around 50,000 platinum. How many legendary rank artifacts and other valuable things did he get from there?’

If they appraised all of the items, they probably would reach around 200,000 platinum. They were all of the things that Minhyuk had gotten from the Abyss.

It was only at this moment that Minhyuk had the time to check the inheritance and legacy that Valen had left for him. The first thing that he checked was the ‘Divine Sword’s Hundred Swords.

(Hundred Swords)

Active Skill

Mana Required: 4,000

Cooldown: 30 minutes.

Effects”

•A wave containing hundreds of swords would appear and extend to a radius of thirty meters. Once the wave falls, the hundred swords would deal an additional 4,000% damage per second.

•Can trigger the abnormal state: difficulty in breathing.

•Hundred Swords can be casted simultaneously with other skills.

•Increasing the level of the Divine Sword has special requirements.

•The skill will only increase in level if you receive Gods’ praises or a message from the Gods.

The Hundred Swords was definitely overwhelming. Of course, it was true that the level of the skill was lower than when Valen attacked Minhyuk. Back when Valen attacked him, the skill dealt around 7,000% additional damage per second. It was a power that could wipe out Named NPCs.

In fact, the damage had been lowered to 4,000%, but even that level was still extremely overpowered. There was actually a part that was better than Overlord’s Technique.

‘I don’t need to collect and consume anything like Overlord’s Mana or something.’

That was right. The Hundred Swords did not need to consume anything else and only needed to consume MP. Considering that most of these outrageous skills get huge penalties, it could be said to still be a very powerful skill. What was even more noteworthy was its cooldown. Other pinnacle skills had cooldown that would take a few hours at the very least. However, the Hundred Swords could be used once every thirty minutes.

Then, Minhyuk checked the skills that followed.

(Thousand Swords)

Active Skill

Mana Required: ?

Cooldown: ?

Effects:

•?

•?

•?

•The evolved form of Hundred Swords.

Even the Ten Thousand Swords and the Million Swords had been sealed.

‘Considering that Hundred Swords is already this overpowered then…’

What kind of power would a Million Swords exert? Minhyuk was looking forward to it. Then, at that moment…

[You have been given the right to participate in the Battlefield of the Gods as a ‘God’.]

[You, the one that has been given the right to participate in the Battlefield of the Gods, will become a True God class if you win.]

[You, the one that has been given the right to participate in the Battlefield of the Gods, can summon your ‘Envoys’ depending on the contribution that you have accumulated.]

[You will participate in the Battlefield of the Gods as a ‘God’ and fight against the ‘challengers’ in various ways.]

“…”

Minhyuk shuddered at the notifications. This was a chance for him to finally become a True God. Then, he looked carefully at the detailed description of the ‘Envoys’. Basically, the envoys referred to all of the Named NPCs under his command.

‘I have to bestow artifacts to them.’

Minhyuk was left lost in thought. He knew that he had to bestow artifacts so that his envoys would be able to use more power. He realized the ‘importance of artifacts’ just recently. In Athenae, NPCs were also greatly affected by artifacts, the same way they could receive buffs from Minhyuk’s buffed dishes. Just one ‘God-rank’ sword, one sword alone, and Ellie was able to reach the level of a ‘Sword God’

‘Come to think of it…’

Minhyuk was not a blacksmith so it would be too much for him to prepare the artifacts that his Named NPCs would use. Of course, God of Blacksmiths Hepas’ descendant, Hyemin’sDaddy, was taking care of the artifacts but the fact that their weapons were still somewhat lacking was still true.

‘What if I combine my power with Hyemin’sDaddy’s power…?’ Minhyuk thought, a small grin curling at the corners of his lips.

However, there was also a problem.

“How many materials do we have in the territory that can make at least a legendary artifact?”

“We have around 28 of them. If you count the materials that each of the individuals have then we probably have more. However, that’s their own items.”

Minhyuk shook his head. Based on his calculations, there was an 80% chance of defeat the moment he heard the notifications of his participation in the Battlefield of the Gods. Of course, there was a way to increase that probability. The problem was…

‘The number of materials on hand is a problem.’

It also did not mean that Hyemin’sDaddy would be able to make 28 legendary artifacts just because he had 28 materials on hand. It was already a good thing if he could make one or two of them. Just like how it was difficult to produce higher grade dishes, it was also hard to produce higher grade artifacts.

Then…

‘Should I try to use that?’

There was a special reward that Minhyuk has not used yet.

[Would you like to use your one time chance to use Nerva Sephiroth’s Treasure House?]

And that reward was none other than a special pass that would allow him to rob Nerva Sephiroth’s Treasure House, a place that seemed to have the most treasure in Athenae.

***

Joy Co. Ltd.’s President Kang Taehoon thought, ‘To be honest, Minhyuk’s chances of winning are probably less than 10%.’

No matter how many envoys he had, Minhyuk was, in the end, still an individual. It would be very difficult for him to deal with plenty of God-class players that had their own distinct personalities and abilities that set them off from the rest.

Nevertheless, the reason why the Battlefield of the Gods was opening was that Minhyuk had reached the qualifications to become a True God six months earlier than intended. Unfortunately, Minhyuk was not strong enough to become a God. The main reason why he was qualified was because of his battle with Valen. But the victory was not entirely through his own efforts. It was Valen’s sacrifice for him.

Still, in the end, it was inevitable. They had to proceed with the plan they had for the Battlefield of the Gods.

‘I feel sorry for Player Minhyuk, but sometimes getting too far ahead of others will cause more problems instead of having advantages.’

As the thought flashed in Kang Taehoon’s head, he looked at the notification that had been sent out to the one that would become a ‘God’ and the God’s ‘Challengers’. These notifications being sent out meant that the Battlefield of the Gods had been completely opened and it would be hard to modify anything anymore.

Then, at that moment, Kang Taehoon’s phone rang. The one that was calling was the head of the Production Team.

“What’s the problem?”

[President, we’re in trouble. Player Minhyuk… in Nerva Sephiroth’s Treasure House…]

“In the treasure house…?”

[He took Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle.]

“…?!”

Kang Taehoon immediately ran to the production team after he hung up his phone.

There were not many artifacts that he remembered. After all, there were tens of millions of artifacts in Athenae. How could he remember them all, right? But among them, Kang Taehoon clearly remembered ‘Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle’. This was because Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle was an ‘event’ item. After rushing to the production team, Kang Taehoon quickly checked Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle once again.

(Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle)

Rank: God

Special Abilities:

•There are 300 God-grade artifact materials and cooking ingredients that you can use.

•Artifacts made from materials taken from Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle will disappear after an hour of use. 

•Artifacts made from materials taken from Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle will have a +5 strengthening effect if they reach the legendary rank.

Description: Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle is an event item. Even if you produce a God-rank artifact or a God-grade dish, they will be consumable artifacts that disappear an hour after they have been used. Battle God Nerva Sephiroth planned to use it to distribute artifacts to the players that sided with the empire as an event.

President Kang Taehoon gnawed at his lips.

Hepas and Arlene’s All Creation Bundle was an event item that was designed to give the players the best weapon that they could use for an hour. But now, it had fallen into Player Minhyuk’s hands. Also…

‘We cannot place a restriction on the envoys’ artifacts since we have already made an announcement on them.’

What if ten God-rank artifacts appeared?

‘Spear God Ben equipped with a God-rank weapon, Lesser Demon equipped with a God-rank weapon, and the Great Pirate equipped with a God-rank defensive item…?’

Kang Taehoon was sure that there would be many unimaginable things that would unfold.