REBORN WITH INFINITY SKILL POINTS, I ENSLAVED ALL UNIVERSES
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Chapter 100: Chapter100-Abyss Ghost
It was becoming increasingly clear: Sarko had a genuine curiosity about other civilizations. However, that didn't change a simple truth—no matter how cordial he seemed on the surface, he was still an abyssal creature.
Abyss creatures, by their very nature, were never truly benevolent.
Daniel had no intention of believing Sarko's words at face value. Only a fool would trust someone from the abyss, regardless of how warmly they smiled or how generous their offers appeared.
Still, this Abyss Kingdom did possess its own intriguing charm.
Influenced by Sarko's philosophy, this entire realm revolved around one singular concept—everything was decided by chips. Every decision, every opportunity, and every transaction was a gamble. Win a bet, and the world was yours. Lose, and you might just lose everything.
That intoxicating promise of overnight fortune had lured countless beings into ruin and obsession.
And yet, in this strange society of gamblers, Daniel—despite having only one solitary chip—was treated with no less respect than anyone else.
Because here, you could never tell. Many of the wealthiest and most powerful gamblers had started with just one final token, and against all odds, they had clawed their way to unimaginable heights.
Of course, Daniel also had the option to convert some of his own resources into additional chips. But to him, that was unnecessary. He was confident—he could win every single wager.
Spinning the lone chip between his fingers, Daniel's sharp eyes roamed across the casino floor.
"Now then... what should I play?"
Right then, a booming voice echoed from the casino's central announcement system, broadcasting across the entire hall:
[Congratulations to Abyss Gate #1987 for successfully summoning the Grand Prize!]
[This round's jackpot reward: 5,000,000 chips!]
The announcement sent the entire casino into a frenzy. The air crackled with excitement and envy.
Daniel's gaze shifted toward the source—the so-called "Abyss Gate."
At one side of the structure, a small circular opening had appeared. From it, an enormous stream of glowing chips was pouring out like a waterfall.
Right in front of the gate, a tiny abyssal creature was screaming ecstatically:
"I'm rich! I won! Hahaha!"
[Abyss Crawler]
[HP: 1000]
[Luck: 1]
[Win Rate History: 9%]
[Current Chips: 1]
Daniel didn't even need to activate [Eye of Insight] to fully analyze the creature. He could tell at a glance—it was one of the weakest species in the abyssal hierarchy.
Sarko had mentioned that such feeble abyss dwellers couldn't survive in the wild abyss. They lacked the strength or cunning to protect themselves. Their only hope was to live under the shelter of an abyss king's Kingdom, where they were bound by strict rules in exchange for safety.
Back at the Abyss Gate, the tide of chips only grew stronger.
In mere moments, the entire mountain of glowing tokens engulfed the Abyss Crawler, burying him completely.
"Help! Somebody help me!"
"I'll give 100 chips to whoever saves me!"
But the other abyss creatures nearby didn't so much as flinch. Instead, they stared at him with eyes full of greed and hunger.
In less than three seconds, the Abyss Crawler was crushed beneath the enormous weight of the chips—suffocated and killed by his own jackpot.
The moment he died, the 5 million chips officially became ownerless.
That was the cue everyone had been waiting for.
Like a plague of locusts, the abyssal onlookers swarmed the pile, fighting savagely over the windfall.
And just as chaos erupted, a translucent figure quietly appeared beside Daniel.
[Abyss Ghost]
These were rare and peculiar beings. With bodies that were permanently in a semi-ethereal state, they rarely suffered from direct attacks. Their minds were highly intelligent, and they were adept at communication and observation.
However, their fatal flaw was that they could not awaken talents like other creatures. They were inherently dependent on powerful benefactors to survive.
The ghostly figure gave a courteous bow and spoke softly:
"Honorable Lord Duban, are you not going to pick up a few chips yourself?"
"Strange, isn't it? Today we actually witnessed someone getting crushed by their own prize."
Daniel gave a casual shake of his head and replied flatly, "I'm not interested."
Almost at the same moment, he activated [Time Stream].
When Daniel opened his eyes again, he found himself standing outside the entrance of Casino Royale.
This time, without hesitation, he turned and walked directly toward the Abyss Gate.
The same [Abyss Ghost] appeared at his side as he approached.
"Esteemed one, greetings. I have been appointed by His Majesty the King to serve as your personal steward while you are here."
"Should you have any questions or needs, please do not hesitate to ask."
Noticing Daniel's interest in the Abyss Gate, the ghost immediately began an explanation:
"This, my lord, is one of the abyss's most unique and celebrated inventions. A brilliant creation of our great King, it is simultaneously a gambling device and a cultural icon."
"The Abyss Gate continuously gathers chips from various sources. With a single bet, you could potentially win everything inside. Of course, your success still depends on fortune."
Daniel gave a slight nod and activated his God Rank Skill—[Eye of Insight].
Immediately, detailed information surfaced before his eyes:
[Abyss Gate]
[Current Accumulated Chips: 5,000,000]
[Note: When the chip count exceeds 5 million, the Abyss Gate will automatically reset, and all contents will be cleared.]
"Just as I thought..."
Daniel's eyes narrowed, a knowing smile flickering across his face.
Even without relying on [Time Stream], he was now confident he could walk through this casino undefeated.
The [Eye of Insight] alone gave him more than enough advantage.
He glanced around once more, ready to toss in his only chip—
—when he noticed that the Abyss Crawler, somehow still alive, was already standing at the front of the line.
With a calm smile, Daniel approached and said, "Would you mind letting me go first?"
The Abyss Crawler visibly trembled. Then, noticing the Abyss Ghost beside Daniel, he immediately scurried out of the way without protest.
Of course he would.
Anyone escorted by an Abyss Ghost was undoubtedly a VVIP—a guest personally appointed by the King himself.
A lowly crawler like him had no right to cause trouble.
Even if Daniel killed him on the spot, no one would dare raise an objection.
As Daniel moved into place, the ghost politely leaned forward and said:
"My lord, are you sure about this?"
"The timing of the Abyss Gate's payout is completely random. Even His Majesty the King has no control over it."
"As a treasured guest of our Kingdom, I would humbly suggest you try some of the simpler games instead. That way, you might slowly build up your chip count..."
Before the ghost could finish, Daniel tossed his last chip into the Abyss Gate.
Chapter101-Crushing the Table
[Congratulations to Abyss Gate #1987 for successfully summoning the Grand Prize!]
[This round's jackpot reward: 5,000,000 chips!]
The booming announcement reverberated through the entire Casino Royale, setting off yet another wave of chaos and excitement.
Northern Frontier.
In a small, dimly lit tavern, Daniel took a heavy swig of wheat beer, draining the glass in just two gulps. A satisfied sigh escaped his lips—the refreshing sensation spreading through his body was invigorating.
There was no denying it: the oppressive atmosphere of the abyss was simply unsuitable for human beings. It was suffocating, like a heavy weight constantly pressing down on one's soul. No matter how mentally strong Daniel was, even he needed the occasional breather.
He glanced at his communicator and noticed a few messages from the Human Emperor. They were reminders about details concerning the upcoming coronation ceremony—standard protocol for someone about to be crowned a king.
Daniel had already gone through those instructions once. He didn't pay much attention to them now.
His departure from the abyss wasn't permanent—just a brief break to reset. After all, it would take some time for five million chips to finish pouring out of the Abyss Gate, and there was no harm in catching a breath while it did.
After resting for less than a minute, Daniel's body flickered and disappeared.
In the next instant, he was back in the abyss.
Surrounding him were countless abyssal creatures. They had encircled Daniel and the massive mountain of glowing chips beside him, but not a single one dared to move forward.
By the rules of this realm, the jackpot clearly belonged to Daniel. No one had the right to lay a finger on it.
Daniel didn't hesitate. He immediately activated his skill—[Forceful Convergence].
In a blink, every single chip on the floor vanished, absorbed directly into Daniel's backpack.
Who could have imagined that the man who had entered the casino with a single chip just moments ago now possessed five million?
Without the slightest pause, Daniel turned and walked toward another gambling table.
Dice Coaster.
A straightforward game: ten dice would be rolled at once, and the player with the highest total wins.
There were also special bonus conditions. For example, if a player rolled five or more identical numbers, the payout would multiply significantly—up to 100x!
Daniel didn't bother studying the full set of rules. He didn't need to.
After watching for a moment, he placed all five million chips onto the betting table without hesitation.
His boldness immediately caught the attention of the nearby abyssal gamblers.
One of them leaned in and said in a curious tone:
"Wait... you're a human?"
"If I recall correctly, your kind's appearance is documented in the archives."
"Look, he's accompanied by an Abyss Ghost. Those only serve the King himself."
"That means this human must be a special guest of His Majesty."
"Who would've thought... humans enjoy these risky games just like us."
"Do you think he's ever tasted the pain of losing it all?"
Daniel ignored the chatter. He activated [Eye of Insight], but it yielded no immediate advantage.
The results of the dice wouldn't be determined until after bets were locked in. His ability couldn't predict the future—it could only analyze present conditions.
So, he opted to wait and watch a round play out.
As chips were placed across the table, the dice began to rattle. The final results landed with a dramatic clatter:
60 points.
Wait—what?!
The abyss creatures gasped collectively. Shock spread like wildfire across the table.
60 points—that meant all ten dice had landed on sixes!
The odds of that happening were astronomical. In the last decade, no one had ever witnessed such a perfect roll.
"100x payout! That's insane!"
"Damn it, I was just thinking about betting on that, but I chickened out!"
"If someone had bet on 60, they'd be an instant millionaire!"
"Thank the abyss I bet on even numbers. Only got 2x, but at least I made a profit."
"Screw it! I bet on odd—lost everything!"
Daniel's eyes glinted. Without a second thought, he activated his divine skill—[Time Stream].
In a heartbeat, time rewound to the moment just before he placed his bet.
This time, he slammed all five million chips down on one number: 60 points.
No hesitation. No second thoughts.
All in.
And that jaw-dropping move left the entire abyssal crowd stunned.
"What... what just happened?"
"He's going all in? Just like that?"
"He just won five million chips, and now he's risking it all again?"
"Good gods... is this human insane?"
"No. He's not insane—he's got guts. I respect it. I'll bet 20 chips alongside him!"
The dice began to spin again before anyone else could place additional wagers.
The atmosphere tensed, every eye locked on the shaking dice.
Then... the dice stopped.
60 points. Again.
An explosion of silence. Then chaos.
"HE DID IT!"
"A 100x return—he actually pulled it off!!"
Daniel had just turned five million chips into five hundred million.
With just two rounds, his fortune had multiplied exponentially.
And yet—for Daniel, this wasn't the end.
It was only the beginning.
What followed next shocked even the most hardened abyss gamblers.
Daniel went on a rampage.
One all-in bet after another, risking his entire chip count every single time.
There was no fear in his eyes. Only fierce momentum.
The atmosphere inside Casino Royale had transformed completely. What was once a place of decadent leisure now felt like the eye of a storm.
Of course, this was Sarko's territory. Cheating was forbidden. The casino maintained perfect fairness.
Sarko didn't care who won or lost. In his eyes, everything here belonged to him anyway.
From his perspective, it was like moving money from one pocket to another.
Because of that, no one tampered with the odds. Everything was real. Pure gambling.
And Daniel?
He was dominating.
As the crowd swelled, his chip count surged to a truly monstrous number:
4.5 quadrillion chips.
And just as he was preparing for another round, a few abyss creatures came sprinting toward him, their eyes wide with panic.
They threw themselves at his legs, clinging to him desperately.
"Respected guest, please... we beg you, hold on!"
"We're out of chips! The casino literally doesn't have enough in reserve to cover your next bet!"
Daniel paused, stunned.
He hadn't anticipated this outcome.
For the first time, he truly realized the scale of the wealth he now held.
"Wait... did I go too far?"
The thought crossed his mind briefly.
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing it.
After all, Sarko was the one who invited him here.
And if he wanted Sarko's full trust, he had to show him just how terrifyingly skilled he was.
Chapter102-Conquering the Casino
Luminous Forest.
After completing her Star Upgrade Quest, Alice had arrived at the Challenger's Labyrinth—an ancient trial ground reserved for elite members of the elven race.
Following her public declaration as a devotee of a true god, her status had risen sharply. Not only did she receive newfound respect and recognition, but even her political standing among the elves had soared.
Her current goal was to delve into the Labyrinth. This was more than just a challenge—it was a personal task entrusted to her by Daniel himself.
"Great Lord Crossbridge, your most devoted follower, Alice, offers you her prayer..."
Sensing Alice's sincere devotion, Daniel once again granted her permission to access a God Rank Skill.
Meanwhile, back in the abyss...
Daniel had ceased his gambling spree for one very simple reason: the casino had run out of chips.
Even so, the chips in his possession had ballooned to an astronomical figure—4.5 quadrillion.
With [Eye of Insight] activated, Daniel could effortlessly perceive the chip count of every abyssal creature around him. The richest gambler in the entire Casino Royale currently held just over 10 billion chips—a figure that paled in comparison to Daniel's fortune, which was over 10,000 times greater.
Ironically, that very gambler happened to be one of Daniel's admirers. From the very beginning, he had sensed Daniel's terrifying strength. Out of sheer intuition—or perhaps desperation—he had started mirroring Daniel's bets.
And it paid off.
Every time Daniel went all-in, so did this creature, and as a result, he skyrocketed from a penniless pauper to the second richest gambler in the casino.
All thanks to Daniel.
Daniel deactivated [Eye of Insight] and paused for a moment in thought. Then, a smile crept onto his face.
Without saying a word, he placed a colossal stack of chips on another nearby gambling table.
This one made the previous dice game look tame—it involved rolling 20 dice at once. The highest possible total was 120, and if that outcome was achieved, the payout multiplier was an astounding 200x.
Of course, this was merely theoretical.
In the entire thousands of years of Casino Royale's history, no one had ever rolled a perfect 120.
"The casino having no chips... what's that got to do with me?"
Daniel smiled coolly and went all-in again without a shred of hesitation.
This time, his motivation was simple: he wanted to know what would happen if the casino couldn't afford to pay him.
The dice began to spin.
As they gradually came to a halt, every abyssal creature nearby stared in stunned disbelief.
120.
The dice had actually landed on 120.
Every single die had landed on a six.
An unprecedented miracle.
And then, without delay, a string of prompts appeared before Daniel's eyes:
[You have received: 900 quadrillion chips.]
[You have acquired full ownership and all shares of Casino Royale.]
[You have obtained a large number of slaves, including Sasha, Lily, Taylor...]
[Current total slave debt: 90.721 quadrillion.]
"Wait, what?"
Daniel blinked in surprise and quickly began reviewing the slave records.
To his astonishment, the list included succubi and other high-value beings.
"Seriously? Is this even legal?"
Daniel wasn't sure what kind of boundary he had just crossed—but it definitely felt like a big one.
The documentation revealed something even more intriguing: all of these slaves were connected to the casino.
They had accumulated massive debts and were working off their obligations by serving within the establishment. With ownership of the casino now transferred to Daniel, their contracts—and debts—became his as well.
"So it works like that, huh..."
Daniel narrowed his eyes. He was beginning to understand the inner mechanics of the Abyss Realm more deeply.
If someone became indebted to another through gambling losses, they could legally become the other party's slave.
Elsewhere in the Abyss, near one of the realm's massive teleportation gates...
A figure moved swiftly between mineral formations and mana-rich zones.
This was Sasha, one of the managers of Casino Royale.
Even in a realm as vast and ruthless as the abyss, resources didn't just generate themselves. Someone had to venture out and harvest them. That was Sasha's job—sourcing precious materials to sustain the casino's operations and the Abyss Kingdom itself.
She also had authority to permit external beings into the realm. But make no mistake—Casino Royale wasn't a charity.
Its objective was simple: drain every ounce of wealth from all living beings.
Over the course of several thousand years, Sasha had risen through the ranks to become one of the casino's highest authorities. Within the kingdom, she was undoubtedly a major figure.
But at this very moment... her world turned upside down.
Suddenly, deep within her consciousness, she felt a presence—a master.
At the same time, a glowing slave mark etched itself into her chest, binding her soul with unbreakable force.
"What... what is this?!"
Sasha froze.
She had no idea what had just happened.
One moment, she was out gathering resources. The next, she was someone's property.
It didn't take her long to deduce the cause. Her soul contract was stored within the casino. If anything could affect her from afar, it had to originate from there.
"Damn it! What the hell happened?!"
Her thoughts swirled with confusion and fury.
Over the centuries, she had carefully built up her fortune—by her estimates, she had amassed tens of trillions in chips.
And now she was a slave?
That couldn't be right. Even the King himself wouldn't be able to wipe out her fortune overnight. So how could someone possibly win enough to enslave her?
But facts were facts.
Her ownership had changed hands.
Even if she forfeited everything she'd ever earned, she still wouldn't be able to clear her debt.
"Wait... could it be that His Majesty grew jealous of my wealth?"
The thought chilled her.
Could the King have rigged the casino to seize her assets?
Waves of unease and helplessness crashed through her. She had no energy left to continue mining. Turning on her heel, she headed straight back to the Kingdom.
She had to meet this mysterious new master—and hopefully find a way to negotiate some dignity back.
Back in the Abyss Kingdom...
No one—absolutely no one—could believe what had just occurred.
In less than half an hour, Daniel had completely taken over Casino Royale.
When he first entered, he had nothing but a single chip.
Now?
He had won hundreds of quadrillions, gained full control of the casino, and acquired dozens of debt-bound slaves.
This wasn't just gambling skill.
It was as if the goddess of fortune herself had descended to bless him.
Even the usually composed Abyss Ghost at Daniel's side now maintained an exaggerated level of humility. He had received instructions from Sarko to show Daniel respect—but witnessing the events firsthand filled him with genuine awe.
This human was terrifying.
After leaving Casino Royale, Daniel casually flicked two golden chips toward the Abyss Ghost.
"Here. I've got a task for you..."
Chapter103-The Taste of the Succubus
Golden chips—within the entire Kingdom, they represented the most valuable and highest-denomination currency available.
A single golden chip was worth a staggering one hundred million regular chips!
"I need a few things. Here's the list. Go win them back for me."
Since the other party was now his assistant, Daniel didn't bother to be polite when issuing commands.
The formula for the Anygate was also included on that list.
On the other side, the abyss ghost, seeing how lavishly Daniel was spending, immediately accepted the chips with reverence.
Faced with such a powerful figure, the abyss ghost didn't dare show even a hint of negligence.
In the next instant, it vanished on the spot, heading out to follow Daniel's orders and win back the items on the list.
After the abyss ghost departed, Daniel began searching for the next casino.
After all, in this Kingdom, the one thing that was never in short supply—was casinos.
He casually pulled out ten golden chips and entered another casino.
Only ten minutes later, Daniel casually walked out of the establishment.
And the ownership of that casino? It had already changed hands—now belonging to Daniel.
Daniel didn't choose to rest. Instead, he directly entered yet another casino.
Thus, an amusing scene soon played out across the Abyss Kingdom.
Every time Daniel walked into a casino, it would end up changing its name—because its ownership changed hands.
His approach was extremely simple: go all in—every time!
After all, with his God Rank Skill active, it was basically impossible for Daniel to lose.
Just two hours later—
Over half of the casinos in the capital had become Daniel's property!
Even a considerable number of residents had ended up as Daniel's slaves.
With a bored yawn, Daniel strolled back to his palace.
Now, his mind was focused on one thing: how to eliminate the other Kings of the Abyss.
Perhaps... it was time to consider leveraging Sarko's power.
That thought lingering in his mind, Daniel decided to pay Sarko a visit later.
But for now, the most urgent priority was to synthesize the God Rank Skill formulas he had managed to collect.
As the saying went—strike while the iron is hot. Only by becoming stronger himself could he negotiate with Sarko on equal terms.
No matter what, the next target Daniel planned to hunt... was one of the Kings of the Abyss.
The stronger he was, the better his chances of success.
As for whether Sarko would actually assist him—that was something Daniel had already considered.
Based on the intelligence he previously obtained from Sarko, the relationship between the various Kings of the Abyss wasn't nearly as harmonious as one might imagine.
Take Sarko, for example. His relationship with the surrounding kings was far from pleasant.
Even the Emperor of the Abyss himself wouldn't bother interfering in the battles among his subordinates.
Because in the abyss, survival wasn't about peace, but rather about constant struggle and strength.
If a certain King of the Abyss were to fall, the rest of the abyssal creatures would see it simply as a sign of weakness.
The most fundamental law of the abyss was: the weak are prey to the strong!
Daniel's thinking was quite straightforward—use the conflict between Sarko and the other kings to his advantage. Let Sarko take action and help eliminate a few Kings of the Abyss.
That way, Daniel would be able to smoothly complete his Star Upgrade Quest.
...
After returning to the palace—
Daniel didn't rest. Instead, he summoned his slaves over immediately.
He had accumulated a large number of slaves by now—many of whom were residing within the palace itself.
But what Daniel wanted to see right now were the slaves from the Demon Race, so he issued the command:
"Go and bring me all the demon slaves!"
This was the Abyss, after all, and the demon slaves were being held in the palace dungeons.
But since Daniel now owned the entire palace, his slaves naturally didn't dare defy his orders.
Not long after, the demon slaves—shackled and bound—were brought before Daniel.
Hmm?
Why are they all succubi?
Daniel narrowed his eyes, taking in the entire scene before him.
He had to admit—these newly acquired succubi were of remarkably high quality.
Not only were they all fresh captures, but each one was exceptionally beautiful, with diverse styles suited to satisfy a wide range of preferences.
When the succubi saw that their new master was a human, joy lit up their faces.
Because as succubi, their greatest delight was seducing humans. The scent of humans was fatally irresistible to them!
That's why succubi especially loved feeding on human blood...
Daniel was well aware that behind their stunning appearances, these succubi harbored lethal intentions.
In fact, there was one chilling, little-known statistic: every year, the number one killer of humans among the demon races—was always the succubi.
Even if someone somehow managed to survive a succubus's attack, they'd be utterly ruined.
Their life essence would be drained away, leaving behind nothing but a hollow shell.
However...
The succubi now standing before Daniel had clearly undergone special treatment.
They no longer possessed the ability to cause him any harm.
In that case—it was time for Daniel to "teach them a lesson."
Let them witness firsthand just how powerful the human race could be!
...
Meanwhile, back on human territory—
The Human Emperor remained astride the back of his Snowdragon Beast, racing at full speed toward the northern border.
Even for someone of his status—the supreme ruler of the human race—he still had to travel in person through this bitter, frozen region.
After all, the conditions here were too harsh to permit the construction of teleportation arrays.
But just moments ago, Daniel had used his communicator to send the Human Emperor a message—one that mentioned the Anygate.
When the Human Emperor read it, he was so overjoyed that he nearly jumped up on the spot!
The significance of the Anygate to humanity... was beyond imagination.
Currently, the human territory wasn't particularly vast. The biggest limitation was mobility—humans couldn't expand any farther due to slow travel speeds.
But with the Anygate, humanity might usher in a new era of expansion, seizing more resources and further boosting their power!
Although humanity was ranked among the top ten races, in reality, their strength placed them at the very bottom of the list.
The Human Emperor's greatest dream had always been to one day see the human race rise to true greatness.
If Daniel could truly obtain the Anygate formula...
The Human Emperor's fists clenched involuntarily. His breath quickened!
The Anygate was too important for humanity to ignore.
Trembling with excitement, he quickly composed and sent a message back via communicator:
"Daniel, as long as you can secure the Anygate formula, all of humanity's resources will be directed toward you!"
After sending the message, the Human Emperor put away his communicator and turned to gaze into the distant sky, muttering to himself:
"I wonder what that brat Daniel is doing right now..."
"The future of the human race rests on your shoulders. Don't let me down..."
Chapter104-A Special Skill
"I've got to admit... succubi really do have their charms."
Daniel rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then lit a cigarette, slowly exhaling a ring of smoke into the air.
The Demon Race truly lived up to their reputation as a species that thrived on temptation and seduction—the experience had been... intense.
Now, he finally understood why some people were willing to hand over their life essence to a succubus with no resistance at all.
"To die beneath a bed of peonies, even as a ghost, would be romantic," as the saying went.
Still, Daniel didn't let himself get carried away. He knew where to draw the line.
Before he realized it, Daniel noticed that his resistance to the abyssal environment was beginning to weaken. He was no longer feeling repulsed or hostile toward this place.
And that, most likely, was exactly Sarko's plan.
Was he trying to lure Daniel into corruption?
A trace of self-reflection crossed Daniel's face.
The more comfortable things seemed—the more carefully he had to maintain his clarity.
Sarko was definitely not a benevolent host. Daniel could figure that out without even using his brain.
So this was the method he'd chosen to erode Daniel's will?
Shaking his head slightly, Daniel began to reassess his next move.
The most important thing now was to make Sarko believe that he was not so easily corrupted.
Otherwise, when it came time to negotiate, Daniel would find himself at a disadvantage.
Most likely, the reason Sarko hadn't approached him directly was because he wanted Daniel to sink deeper into temptation of his own accord.
Having thought this through, Daniel came to a firm decision.
Play if you must, indulge a little if you want—but you must maintain a façade of resistance to all temptation.
Only then would Sarko take him seriously. Only then would he hold the upper hand in negotiations.
With his plan set, Daniel didn't hesitate. He immediately activated his God Rank Skill: [Time Stream].
In the next instant, time reversed, bringing him back to five hours earlier—
—right before he was about to summon the succubi.
This time, Daniel didn't make a move on them. Instead, he gave them a cold, indifferent glance.
They had already been punished enough, and he had completely lost interest in them.
"Keep a close watch on them. When the time is right, sell them for a good price."
Leaving behind this order, Daniel vanished from the chamber.
...
Abyssal Royal Palace.
Sarko sat upon his throne, currently entertaining himself by playing gambling games with several concubines from his harem.
However, those concubines were no match for him—they had already lost dozens of consecutive rounds.
Despite their increasingly provocative behavior, trying to tempt him in every way they could, Sarko remained completely unfazed.
Boring. Utterly boring.
These foolish women only knew how to seduce—they had pathetic gambling skills.
Did they really think this was enough to capture the interest of someone like Sarko?
What a joke!
"You've already lost all your chips. Leave. Now."
With a cold command, Sarko dismissed them. The concubines' faces fell, filled with disappointment.
"Your Majesty... we've lost the wager. According to custom, shouldn't you punish us?"
"Yes, Your Majesty... we've wagered everything. All we have left are our bodies... which now belong to you..."
"Get lost!"
Sarko roared, and the concubines scrambled away like frightened birds.
None of them feared for their lives. Quite the opposite—they desperately hoped to bear Sarko's children.
But Sarko seemed to have no interest in them whatsoever.
A few moments later, the grand hall stood empty, save for Sarko himself.
He sighed, feeling more bored than ever.
Just then, a thought occurred to him. He turned to the guard beside him and asked:
"That esteemed guest I brought in... is he enjoying himself?"
The guard immediately lowered his head and began murmuring, seemingly communicating with someone through magical means.
After a short while, the guard turned back and reported:
"Your Majesty, we've just received an update. Three-fourths of the casinos in the capital have changed ownership. Their new owner... is none other than the guest you personally invited."
"It is conservatively estimated that he now possesses over ten quadrillion chips."
"He's currently returned to his residence. It appears he is resting."
Sarko showed no hint of surprise upon hearing this.
In his view, anyone capable of winning against him had to be an extraordinarily powerful figure.
To win three-fourths of the capital's casinos in just two hours...
Even if Sarko personally took action, that would probably be his limit too.
He shook his head and made no move to interfere with Daniel's actions. After all, this was just part of the rules of his Kingdom.
Since Daniel had earned the chips through gambling, the rules would protect his winnings.
As for the other gamblers' losses? Sarko couldn't care less. They'd only lost bets—not their lives.
If these events led to him forming a good relationship with Daniel, then it was more than worth it.
"Oh, by the way... those succubi we arranged for him—did he enjoy them?"
"They were quite costly to acquire, each one a premium specimen. Surely, he must have liked them?"
"According to the Demon Merchant, it's impossible for any human to resist a succubus's allure!"
In truth, Sarko's attitude toward Daniel had already shifted.
He didn't merely want to defeat the human—he now saw an opportunity to recruit him.
After all, if a demigod-rank powerhouse like Daniel could become his subordinate, then even when facing the Emperor of the Abyss, Sarko would have more leverage.
Of course, it was unlikely to happen. Such a goal was incredibly difficult to achieve.
But even if he couldn't recruit Daniel as a subordinate, making him an ally would still be valuable.
Since Daniel wasn't a native of the abyss, he was destined to leave someday. Forming a partnership now would carry no long-term risk of betrayal.
In Sarko's eyes, a collaboration with Daniel was all gain and no loss.
Of course, that plan would only work if he could win at least once, and snatch away Daniel's luck stat.
But that could come later. First and foremost, he had to ensure that Daniel felt welcomed in the Kingdom—as if it were his own home.
Just then, the guard beside him spoke again.
"Your Majesty, it appears the esteemed guest had no interest in the succubi. He simply glanced at them... and then left."
Sarko was taken aback for a moment.
Wait—this human guest actually resisted?
He actually managed to withstand the temptations of succubi?
Such a strong will!
No wonder he had achieved the rank of demigod!
Sarko didn't doubt the Demon Merchant's claims. That merchant was famous across realms for never peddling worthless products.
Because of that, Sarko's respect for Daniel deepened.
He had once heard of a very powerful skill from the human race.
It was said that when activated, it could completely shut off a certain organ, allowing the user to enter a state of pure focus—utterly unshaken by distraction.
However, this skill came with a major drawback.
Use it too often... and that organ would permanently lose all sensation.
In the end, Sarko could only sigh:
"As expected of a true powerhouse... They never walk the usual path."
Chapter105-Abyssal Summoning Spell
Daniel never laid a hand on the succubi.
Instead, he spent some time patrolling the palace, circling through the various halls and corridors. After resolving a few minor disturbances, he gave orders to his slaves to spread out and begin searching for all kinds of materials and blueprints.
To Daniel, this Abyss Kingdom was full of untapped value—there were many things here that humanity could learn from.
Some of the resources available in this realm were incredibly rare, even by Daniel's standards.
Now that he had accumulated a mountain of chips, Daniel planned to launch an all-out shopping spree. He didn't even intend to spare the decorative flora growing in the greenbelts—every leaf, every vine, every strange and twisted flower was fair game.
Even the soil itself was valuable. Tainted with the unique aura of the abyss, it could subtly influence the human mind.
If purified and processed, who knew? It might become something even greater.
With that in mind, Daniel launched a grand-scale harvest of the capital, sweeping through it like a locust swarm in human form.
Naturally, Daniel had no intention of doing the work himself. He left the gathering and purchasing entirely to his loyal slaves.
As for Daniel? His task was simple: keep conquering casinos.
After all, his chips had already reached a level most beings would consider absurd. Every time he entered a new casino, he would go all-in with a single bet, and just like that, another casino fell into his pocket.
Before long, another two hours had passed.
Now, over 98% of the capital's industries and establishments had come under Daniel's control.
If you excluded Sarko himself, Daniel had effectively become the true ruler of the capital.
And with Daniel's fortune growing exponentially, so too did the number of slaves under his command.
They even started recruiting more slaves on his behalf.
With Daniel's vast reserves of chips backing them, his slaves could afford to lose ten times and still make a comeback on the eleventh.
And that eleventh win? It would be enough to recoup all previous losses, sometimes even netting extra profit.
The math was simple—Daniel's total assets were still climbing at an alarming speed!
Who would've imagined that in just a few short hours, Daniel would end up controlling an entire Abyss Kingdom capital?
...
Human Territory – Northern Border
The Human Emperor was still rushing across the frozen wilderness at full speed.
But he couldn't suppress the urge any longer—he needed to check on Daniel's progress.
Pulling out his communicator, he sent a short message:
"How's the progress?"
...
Abyss Realm
Sasha was feeling rather aggrieved.
She hadn't even had the chance to meet her mysterious new master in person, and yet she was already being sent out on new assignments—her current task: win a series of gambling duels.
The only consolation was that this master of hers was incredibly generous, giving her a hefty supply of chips.
Sasha had always been a top-tier gambler, boasting a win rate of 80%—an exceptional figure.
Even across the entire Kingdom, few could match her.
Thanks to a sequence of expert plays, Sasha had indeed managed to win back a large haul of chips.
But despite that, she still felt like she hadn't made much progress repaying her debt.
How many chips had her master won from Casino Royale?
The more she thought about it, the more curious she became about this enigmatic master of hers.
At that moment, Sasha had just finished another match—this time, securing a mid-sized casino in Daniel's name.
Even so, she wasn't allowed to rest. Another match was already waiting.
Scenes like this were now unfolding across every corner of the capital.
Daniel's slaves were winning new slaves, and the new slaves were going on to win even newer slaves.
They never tired. They couldn't disobey orders.
Meanwhile, Daniel had finally found the last material he needed—
An Abyssal Contamination Core!
With all ingredients at hand, it was time to synthesize a brand new God Rank Skill.
Rubbing his hands together, Daniel's face lit up with anticipation.
God Rank Skill – Synthesize!
[Abyssal Summoning Spell]
Effect: Summons 10 powerful abyssal monsters whose level equals your current level +100. These monsters are absolutely loyal to you and will follow all your commands!
As he read through the ability's effects, Daniel couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
Now that he had learned this skill, the next time he raided the Underground Labyrinth, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger. A bit of waiting, and the summoned creatures would handle everything for him.
[God Rank Skill: Abyssal Summoning Spell – Acquired]
"Would you like to upgrade it to max?"
Daniel didn't hesitate for even a second—he chose yes.
A flash of light later, the [Abyssal Summoning Spell] evolved, and its new effects appeared:
Effect 1: Summon up to 50 elite-tier monsters at your current level.
Effect 2: Each time you deal damage, 50% of that damage is converted into healing for your summons. Additionally, for 10 seconds, the damage they deal is doubled.
Effect 3: You may sacrifice elite-tier summons to instead call forth 10 boss-tier abyssal monsters, each at a level equal to your own +100. They will obey your every command.
...
After reading the new description, Daniel grinned.
There was no denying it—after being maxed out, this God Rank Skill had been completely elevated.
More importantly, it was the first summoning skill he had ever acquired.
There was only one small downside: the summoned monsters still had HP limits.
If struck with a lethal attack, they would die—and Daniel would need to summon another abyssal creature to replace them, randomly selected.
But if the monster didn't die, he could choose to retain it, allowing him to call upon it again in future battles.
Based on the current effect, Daniel could now summon boss-tier monsters at level 160.
That wasn't exactly weak—but it wasn't quite strong enough to face off against a King of the Abyss either.
However, the strength of his summons scaled with his own level.
If Daniel ever reached level 200, then his summoned abyssal bosses would be at level 300.
At that point, just one of those beasts could give even the Human Emperor a major headache.
No—correction.
The Human Emperor himself was currently only level 200. Even if he could take down one boss of equal level, how would he fare against ten?
Just imagining it made Daniel suck in a cold breath.
[Abyssal Summoning Spell] — undeniably a late-game powerhouse skill!
With the synthesis complete, Daniel activated [Flashback], teleporting back to Winterhold Castle.
This time, he didn't enter the lord's castle, but instead headed straight for the Multiracial Commerce League branch.
But as soon as he walked inside, [Eye of Insight] picked up on something that left Daniel completely stunned.
"Manager Harry?
What the hell is he doing in Winterhold Castle?!"
Chapter106-Manager Harry
When Manager Harry saw Daniel arrive, he was slightly taken aback.
He hadn't expected that just after accepting a new assignment from Winterhold Castle, Daniel would show up at his door.
The two of them stared at each other in brief surprise upon meeting in the office.
Daniel hadn't anticipated that Manager Harry would already be here—even before the Human Emperor had arrived at Winterhold Castle. Why would Harry be here so early?
At the same time, Harry harbored the same doubt.
From his perspective, it had required a unique passage—used at great cost to the Multiracial Commerce League—for him to be transported to Winterhold Castle.
That particular route was not accessible even to human elites, and yet Daniel was standing in front of him.
This was simply inconceivable. How had Daniel arrived here?
Still, as a professional manager, Harry quickly recovered from his initial shock. A warm smile surfaced on his face as he regained composure.
"Your Highness Daniel, it's an honor to have you visit us," Harry greeted politely. "I'm truly privileged to continue serving you."
Daniel nodded in acknowledgment and casually asked, "Why are you here?"
Harry bowed slightly before replying with patience and respect.
"Your Highness Daniel, the Multiracial Commerce League possesses certain special channels that allow rapid travel to this place," he explained. "Naturally, they consume an enormous amount of resources. Our head personally appointed me to come here and continue supporting you."
Daniel nodded again without probing further. Still, a trace of astonishment flickered in his heart.
He suddenly realized he may have underestimated the power and reach of the Multiracial Commerce League.
Even the Human Emperor couldn't easily make it to Winterhold Castle in such a short time, yet the League managed to send someone ahead using their own methods?
No, perhaps his way of thinking was off.
It wasn't that the Human Emperor couldn't arrive quickly—it was just that the cost was too great, and there was no pressing need. After all, Daniel had only awakened a day ago. There simply hadn't been enough time to justify that kind of effort.
Daniel shook his head to clear away those distracting thoughts. Then, he asked calmly:
"Gather all the inventory your League has related to storage equipment and bring it to me."
Harry froze momentarily.
Although he didn't fully understand the reason behind the request, as Daniel's personal service agent, he knew better than to question it.
He acted quickly and efficiently. Within just a few minutes, he had gathered over a hundred spatial containers and presented them all to Daniel.
"Your Highness, this is our entire inventory of storage tools here at Winterhold Castle. Do let me know if it's sufficient. If not, I can request a bulk transfer from our other branches," Harry offered. "However, cross-region transfers may take some time."
Daniel nodded and, without a word, swept all the spatial containers into his backpack with a wave of his hand.
Then, he casually tossed out a card loaded with 2 billion gold coins.
That should be more than enough, right?
Harry glanced at the card and opened his mouth to speak, intending to explain that it wasn't necessary to pay so much.
But before he could utter a word, he looked up and saw that Daniel had already disappeared.
Wait, what's the rush?
Also, those storage items only cost about a hundred million total. There was no need to spend so much gold!
As expected of His Highness Daniel—utterly extravagant and generous.
Harry sighed in his heart and carefully stored the card.
To him, this wasn't a payment—it was merely Daniel's money being temporarily held in trust.
The next time they met, he would return the leftover gold, minus the actual costs. That was non-negotiable.
After all, if the League's head found out that he'd overcharged Daniel, Harry would be fired on the spot.
To the Multiracial Commerce League, Daniel had already become inextricably linked to the looming Millennium Apocalypse.
They wouldn't just aim to profit off him—even operating at a loss would be worth it, so long as they could maintain a strong relationship with him.
Meanwhile, Daniel, having secured the spatial tools, didn't stop for even a moment. He immediately made his way to the Abyss Kingdom.
Truth be told, the slaves he had under his control were proving extremely useful. They obeyed his commands without hesitation, completing each task precisely as ordered.
As a result, blueprints, materials, skill books—anything of value—were quickly gathered and stuffed into the spatial containers by Daniel.
To him, this felt like stocking inventory.
Once a container was full, he would teleport back to the Multiracial Commerce League and deposit the entire haul into their warehouse.
Thanks to his current privileges, Daniel was entitled to use the League's warehouse space free of charge.
On top of that, his [Talent Specialization] granted him the incredible benefit of having no cooldowns for any of his skills.
That meant his entire process boiled down to just one repetitive task: fill the containers in the Abyss Kingdom, and offload them into the warehouse.
Even with his high speed and efficiency, it still took him nearly half an hour to transfer everything.
Harry stood there watching the entire operation unfold in stunned silence.
Only after Daniel left again and didn't return did Harry finally snap back to reality.
Wait a minute—wasn't Daniel attacking the Abyss right now?
If he remembered correctly, hadn't Daniel only completed his talent awakening ceremony yesterday?
Harry shook his head in disbelief. Then a thought struck him, and he rushed back to his office.
No—this is important. I need to inform the head immediately!
On the other side, Daniel had once again returned to the Abyss Kingdom.
But the scene that greeted him left him momentarily speechless.
The once prosperous and bustling capital city now resembled a plague-stricken land ravaged by locusts. Even the greenery on the sidewalks had completely vanished.
At the southwestern corner of the royal capital, a massive pit more than ten meters deep had appeared.
Numerous slaves, moving like industrious ants, were excavating soil from the pit and transporting it into the castle Daniel had claimed as his base of operations.
All of this had been done according to his precise instructions.
Daniel's thinking was simple: anything with value must be taken.
Was that wrong? Not at all.
That was simply the rule of this kingdom.
After efficiently processing and extracting everything of worth, Daniel made his way to the palace of Sarko.
It was finally time to consider his Star Upgrade Quest.
This would be the first time since arriving in the Abyss Kingdom that Daniel actively sought out Sarko.
His plan was straightforward—propose a partnership to eliminate the other Abyss Kings.
After all, he had the skill [Time Stream], which allowed him to attempt any plan an unlimited number of times.
But when he entered the palace, he was surprised to find that—
Sarko wasn't there.
Chapter107-The Abyss Council
Within the shadowed realm of the Abyss, Sarko slowly emerged from an Anygate.
Anygates were a common feature throughout the Abyss—convenient transportation nodes that allowed one to traverse vast distances within the dark domain. Sarko had just been lounging idly in his palace, feeling somewhat bored, when he received a direct summons from none other than the Emperor of the Abyss.
The title was no exaggeration. The Emperor of the Abyss was the supreme sovereign of the entire Abyssal realm, possessing an exalted authority unmatched by any other. Even powerful beings like Sarko, one of the Kings of the Abyss, were bound to obey the Emperor's commands.
What surprised Sarko, however, was that this summons wasn't for a routine council session.
And the topic under discussion went far beyond what he had anticipated.
Are we really planning to attack the surface world this soon?
Should he vote in favor of this campaign, or stand against it?
From the implications in the Emperor's speech, it was clear that the matter would be officially put to a vote during the next council meeting.
Yet for some reason, upon hearing this declaration, Sarko felt deeply uneasy. His heart was restless, as if the warning bells of intuition were chiming in full force.
If what that human named Duban had said was true, then humanity's strength far exceeded what most Abyss beings had estimated.
Even if the Emperor personally led the charge, Sarko doubted they'd be able to overpower the surface forces. The result could very well be a catastrophic loss.
Running through the possibilities in his mind, Sarko found the outcome becoming more and more grim.
There were only thirteen Kings of the Abyss in total, including himself.
And out of those thirteen, only six—including Sarko—were still hesitating or opting to remain neutral.
The other seven? Warmongers to the core. They would no doubt vote in favor of initiating a war against the surface world.
Which meant that the motion to launch an assault would almost certainly pass during the next formal council.
But that wasn't the only issue.
The surface world wasn't composed solely of humans.
There were over ten thousand races on the surface, with humanity merely being one of the stronger factions. If Duban had not been lying, the sheer might of humanity alone could outmatch the Abyss.
And if the rest of the surface races joined in?
Then this wouldn't be a war. It would be a slaughter. A suicidal charge straight into the maw of death.
What made matters worse was the fundamental incompatibility between Abyssal creatures and surface-world laws.
Having long adapted to the rules of the Abyss, most denizens of the dark realm found themselves severely weakened when stepping into the surface world. The difference in dimensional rules acted like a suppressive field, shackling their true strength.
This, more than anything, was why Abyssal races were rarely seen on the surface.
In fact, most Abyss-born beings would live and die within the dark realm, never once setting foot outside of it. The Abyss was their cradle—and their prison.
But everything began to change with the rise of the Emperor of the Abyss.
He had developed methods to alleviate or even bypass the rule suppression, enabling Abyssal creatures to function—albeit with some limitations—on the surface world.
This breakthrough meant that invading the surface was now theoretically possible.
But sustainable survival? That was a different story.
While the Emperor spoke with great confidence, Sarko remained skeptical.
He couldn't refute the fact that the surface world's laws had indeed begun to weaken in recent years. Especially in the past two days, Sarko could barely feel any pressure from those foreign rules.
Technically, he could now step onto the surface without issue.
And yet, with his cautious temperament—and given that combat wasn't his strong suit—Sarko decided to wait.
"What a mess," he muttered, shaking his head in frustration. "Can't I just live a life of indulgent corruption in peace?"
With that thought, he returned to his own kingdom within the Abyss.
But when he arrived... he was greeted by chaos.
The once-pristine capital was in shambles. The landscape had been torn up so thoroughly that even the decorative greenery had been stripped away.
Sarko's lips twitched violently.
What happened here?
Was my kingdom raided by Abyss pirates?
But even Abyss pirates wouldn't go so far as to uproot all the landscaping!
Wait a second—did they just steal the soil too?
Are you raiders or Abyssal locusts!?
Stifling his rising anger, Sarko summoned his royal guards to investigate what had occurred.
Moments later, as he listened to the guards' report, a look of profound confusion swept across his face.
Wait... this human guest... is this guy for real?
He could understand raiding for precious materials. That made sense.
But why go to such extremes?
Why even strip the greenery and dig up the dirt?
Sarko couldn't understand Daniel's motives at all.
He let out a long sigh, a sense of defeat creeping into his bones.
For the first time, he began to doubt his decision to invite Daniel into his kingdom.
Still, with a sigh, he pushed away his frustrations and teleported back into his palace.
There, waiting patiently, stood Daniel.
Sarko fixed him with a solemn gaze and asked directly, "My friend, you once told me that there are many in the human race far stronger than you. Is that truly the case?"
Daniel paused for a moment, caught slightly off guard by the sudden question.
Then, with a soft smile, he replied, "My friend, do you still doubt my words?"
"I've already told you the truth. But if you don't believe me, you're welcome to accompany me to the surface and see for yourself."
"To be completely honest with you... among humans, I'm not even considered a top-tier powerhouse."
"At best, I might count as a first-rate expert."
"There are at least a billion individuals whose tier ranks higher than mine."
Sarko froze.
A billion stronger beings?
What kind of madness was that?
To put things in perspective, if the human race truly had that many powerful individuals, then any notion of the Abyss invading the surface was nothing short of a joke.
It would be like two fighters facing off—one wielding an RPG launcher, the other holding a nail clipper.
The two sides were simply not on the same level.
Sarko's expression was still filled with disbelief, so Daniel offered a proposition.
"I know it's hard to believe. So how about this—we make a wager."
"For the next ten minutes, everything I say will be the absolute truth. You can rely on the laws themselves to verify it."
"Surely that will convince you?"
Sarko's expression turned even more serious.
At this point, there was no reason left to suspect Daniel of lying.
If he were fabricating any of this, the very laws of the Abyss would punish him on the spot. Yet Daniel stood there, completely untouched.
Sarko's heart grew heavier.
If there were truly that many people stronger than Daniel, and if Daniel himself was already far out of his own league...
Then what kind of monstrous race was humanity?
No—this went beyond strength. This was sheer terror.
Because even Sarko, one of the top 15 kings in all the Abyss, knew that he couldn't defeat Daniel.
And now Daniel was telling him there were a billion more like him?
Even if some of them were non-combatants or possessed utility-based talents, that level of force was utterly overwhelming.
The Abyss would be walking straight into annihilation.
Chapter108-Sarko's Plan
After the two signed the wager, the agreement was formally recognized by the rules of the world.
And with Sarko's voluntary admission of defeat, the bet came to a close without any complications.
At this point, Sarko had no reason to doubt anything. In fact, he had completely accepted Daniel's claims and was fully convinced that humanity truly was as powerful as described.
Having admitted defeat, Sarko's gaze toward Daniel turned noticeably fervent. There was no longer any effort to hide the flattering tone in his voice.
"My friend," Sarko said eagerly, "may I ask what your current tier is?"
But the moment those words left his mouth, he regretted asking.
After all, someone as powerful as Daniel must at least be equal to himself in tier. So what point was there in asking such a question?
Unsurprisingly, Daniel didn't bother to answer. Instead, he let out a cold chuckle and countered with a rhetorical question.
"Do you think that question holds any meaning?"
Sarko offered an awkward laugh and quickly adjusted his demeanor, becoming much more humble.
After all, with a powerhouse from such a dominant race standing in front of him, the last thing he wanted to do was offend him.
Switching topics with little hesitation, Sarko leaned forward and asked:
"My friend, could it be that you're in need of a significant amount of Abyssal resources?"
The question was rhetorical. Anyone with eyes could see what Daniel had done to the capital—stripping the city bare of even its landscaping and soil.
There could only be one explanation: Daniel had an immense demand for resources.
If that was the case, then everything else was negotiable.
Sarko continued, offering more information willingly.
"Truth be told, those things you've taken are far from the true treasures of the Abyss," he said sincerely. "What really holds value here is stored in the personal vaults of the Kings of the Abyss."
"If you want true resources from the Abyss, I suggest you aim for those vaults instead."
"But of course, that comes with a major risk... because you'd have to kill a King of the Abyss."
He paused for effect, then leaned closer.
"If you're willing, I think we can work together."
Sarko's motives were, in reality, quite simple.
Now that the council seemed dead set on launching a suicidal invasion of the surface, why not take preventative measures?
Until now, due to the limitations imposed by universal laws, very few Abyssal creatures had been able to properly gauge the strength of surface races.
But now? He had a living, breathing human standing right next to him, openly sharing information.
Sarko cherished his life. The last thing he wanted was to die in a reckless war. And with the way things were headed, the warmongering Abyss Kings were dragging everyone into disaster.
If they were eager to throw their lives away, fine—but don't expect him to go down with them.
In the Abyss, where everything revolved around profit and survival, Sarko had no loyalty to the rest of the kings. So, his plan was simple:
Take one of them out.
Eliminate just one of the war-hungry Kings of the Abyss, and the power balance would shift. The upcoming vote to invade the surface might not pass. And Sarko would remain safely in the shadows.
Naturally, Sarko had his own little grudge as well.
He didn't just want to kill any king—he wanted to eliminate one who had bullied him in the past.
Due to his less combat-oriented abilities, Sarko was often pushed around by the more aggressive kings. Every time resources were divided up, he'd get the smallest share.
Under normal circumstances, Sarko wouldn't have dared act on such desires. His strength simply wasn't enough.
But now things were different.
He had a terrifyingly strong human standing beside him. If they worked together, killing a fellow king was no longer out of the question.
Daniel, hearing Sarko's proposition, revealed a look of genuine interest.
He had been thinking along the same lines himself but hadn't brought it up yet. To his surprise, Sarko had taken the initiative.
So, he responded calmly, his eyes glinting slightly.
"So... who do you want me to kill?"
Sarko visibly tensed under Daniel's gaze, chuckling nervously.
"Ahem. My friend, surely you wouldn't kill me, right?"
"And don't forget—I still need to bring you to the upcoming exhibition and introduce you to the Demon Merchant."
"Besides, I know this Abyss inside and out. That kind of knowledge could be useful to you, don't you think?"
Sarko's speech sped up, tinged with a hint of desperation.
His greatest fear right now was that Daniel would misinterpret his intentions and suddenly turn on him, take him out, and loot his vault.
That would be a complete disaster—a backfire of cosmic proportions.
He had meant to redirect danger elsewhere, but if he wasn't careful, he'd end up bringing doom straight to his own door.
Daniel, observing his panic, remained calm and smiled faintly.
"Don't worry, my friend," he said gently. "I don't attack my friends."
Sarko let out a deep breath of relief.
Then, as if recalling something important, he added:
"My friend, you may not know this, but when a King of the Abyss is inside their own Kingdom, their stats receive a massive boost."
"If we're going to target one of them, it would be best to lure them out of their domain before making a move."
Of course, Sarko had said this with a deeper motive in mind.
It wasn't just strategic advice. It was a subtle warning to Daniel, suggesting that now wouldn't be the best time to kill him, given that he was currently within his own Kingdom.
It was also his way of prompting Daniel to start planning the next step of the operation.
The ideal scenario would be to lure a King of the Abyss out of their territory and ambush them there.
Yet when Daniel didn't respond immediately, Sarko panicked again. He feared that his caution had offended the other.
Hurriedly, he added:
"My friend, I know how powerful you are. If we worked together, I believe we could take down a king even within their own territory."
"And in addition—"
Before he could finish, Daniel cut him off with a shake of his head.
"I already know everything you're trying to say."
"But I don't enjoy having others witness my methods of combat."
"So this time, I won't be the one to take action directly. However... I'll create the conditions for your success."
"You've heard of the spatial ability called Spatial Swap, haven't you?"
"If I were to swap one of the other kings into your Kingdom... do you have the confidence to deal with them?"
The reason Daniel proposed this was because he had a clear understanding of his own situation.
If he personally joined the fight, his abilities would be revealed. That wasn't something he wanted just yet.
Sarko was disappointed.
He had hoped to witness firsthand the power of a human juggernaut, but it looked like that opportunity had slipped through his fingers.
Still, the idea that Daniel could forcibly teleport another king directly into Sarko's domain?
That alone was proof enough of his terrifying capabilities.
Chapter109-Another Loss
In the end, Sarko agreed to Daniel's proposal, patting his chest confidently as he made his promise:
"My friend, if you can bring him into my Kingdom, I have a seventy percent chance of slaying him here."
"And once it's done, how about we split the spoils evenly?"
"No problem," Daniel replied with a calm expression, though inwardly he was thrilled.
Perfect.
Without even having to lift a finger, he could complete the third phase of his Star Upgrade Quest and still receive half of the resources. It was practically a free windfall—as close to a total freebie as one could get.
So how exactly did Daniel plan to accomplish this?
The answer was surprisingly simple. Back when he'd hunted down that World Rank boss, he had obtained a utility item called [Shackles of the Prisoner].
This wasn't exactly a rare or powerful item in the traditional sense, but it had one extremely practical effect: once an enemy was successfully bound by it, they could be temporarily stored in Daniel's inventory space for a duration of 10 seconds.
And Daniel's plan?
He intended to exploit that ten-second window, using [Flashback] to return directly to Sarko's Kingdom while carrying the captive target inside his backpack.
Previously, Daniel hadn't paid much attention to the item's true potential. But this Abyss King assassination mission had completely reframed its value in his mind.
Think about it—under the effect of [Flashback], he could appear anywhere in the world. Even the most dangerous regions were within reach. If he could use [Shackles of the Prisoner] to transport an enemy into such a hazardous location...
Then why not let the environment finish the job for him?
Of course, this idea was still mostly theoretical. Many of the bosses Daniel had fought in the past had buffs like [Control Immunity], which would render the shackles useless.
Still, despite the limitations, the item remained incredibly valuable to Daniel.
And then he had another thought.
What if the person being bound... wasn't an enemy?
Could it be that [Shackles of the Prisoner], in combination with [Flashback], allowed him to carry people along with him? Would that not be an indirect buff to [Flashback], turning it into a group teleport skill?
The more he thought about it, the more excited Daniel became.
But just then, he noticed Sarko looking hesitant, as if he had something on his mind. Daniel turned to him and asked,
"My friend, is there something you want to say?"
Sarko was briefly startled but then nodded and responded,
"Actually, my friend... ever since our last wager, I've realized that nothing in this world is quite as thrilling as gambling with you."
"So, I have a request—if possible, I'd like to have another bet with you. This time, let's use our upcoming spoils as the stakes. Whoever wins gets the larger share!"
Daniel gave him a calm smile and agreed.
"Sure. Let's do an 80/20 split. A 90/10 split would be too much—I don't want to bully you."
With that, he summoned a Betting Contract and had it materialize before them.
...
A few minutes later.
Sarko wore a hollow expression, filled with disbelief and a hint of existential crisis.
He had lost.
Again.
He had never imagined that he'd lose to Daniel once more.
This human—this terrifying man—his gambling prowess was downright monstrous.
Even now, Sarko still didn't understand how Daniel had done it.
In this moment, a small trace of regret flickered in Sarko's heart.
If I'd known I was doomed to lose, why would I have proposed the wager at all?
It could have been a straightforward even split. But now? It had become 80 to 20.
And worst of all? He had been the one to suggest the bet.
The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became.
He had even stacked his odds by layering himself with every skill and buff he had. By all logic, his win rate should've been at least 90%, maybe even near 100%.
And yet... he still lost.
Still, Sarko was a true gambler. Even in defeat, he refused to learn his lesson.
In fact, losing only fueled his desire to win the next time. That was the nature of gambling addiction—no matter how many chances fate gave you to stop, a gambler always believed:
"Next time, I'll win."
Meanwhile, Daniel had already begun preparing for the real operation.
He decided to use Sarko's Anygate for the mission.
The reason was simple—the distance between the Abyss Kingdoms was enormous. Even with Daniel's speed, it would take over a hundred continuous days of flight to travel from one kingdom to another.
In truth, the Abyss was far larger than most people imagined. Even the Abyssal creatures themselves didn't fully understand how vast their world was.
When Daniel arrived beside Sarko's Anygate, he noticed a symbol etched into the surface—an emblem in the shape of a double-sided coin.
Seeing Daniel's interest in the emblem, Sarko chuckled and explained,
"That's the emblem of the God of Luck and Fortune. Have you heard of them, my friend?"
Daniel nodded. Of course I have. Who wouldn't?
The emblem of the Goddess of Luck—a coin with two identical sides—was something he'd studied extensively during his academy days.
According to human tradition, there were nine true gods in existence, and the Goddess of Luck was one of them. Her emblem, the double-faced coin, symbolized her dominion over fate, chance, and wealth.
What surprised Daniel, however, was that there were actually worshippers of the Goddess of Luck within the Abyss.
Then again, it made sense.
Someone like Sarko—a dyed-in-the-wool gambler—would naturally be drawn to the idea of divine luck.
Just as Daniel prepared to enter the Anygate, Sarko began to grow increasingly uneasy.
"My friend... are you really going like this?"
"Don't you think you should make a few more preparations first?"
From Sarko's point of view, Daniel was about to teleport straight into another King of the Abyss's Kingdom.
Inside their own territory, a King's power would be greatly amplified. Even a strong human like Daniel might struggle against such an empowered opponent.
Sarko trusted Daniel's strength, but even so, he couldn't help but feel nervous.
If it had been anyone else, he would've assumed they'd lost their mind.
At that moment, Daniel suddenly turned and asked,
"Oh, that reminds me—who's our target again? You haven't told me yet."
Sarko's mouth twitched slightly at the question.
Seriously? You're asking this now?
Are you really this confident in your abilities, or just recklessly impatient?
The plan was, by all accounts, hastily put together—no detailed scouting, no trap placements, no coordination. It was the kind of operation that screamed "overconfident suicide."
And yet... Sarko felt that perhaps he was still underestimating Daniel.
After a brief moment of thought, he finally answered:
"I think... it should be Karsas. I have a natural advantage over him."
Chapter110-Summoning Abyssal Monsters
Karsas—another fearsome King of the Abyss.
He was a true warmonger, born for battle. With an overwhelmingly strong physique and immense physical power, Karsas was known as a brute force incarnate.
But Sarko, with his unique traits and skills, happened to be a perfect counter to him. Not to mention, there was a deep and personal grudge between the two—this was precisely why Sarko had chosen Karsas as their target.
"My friend," Sarko warned solemnly, "Karsas is a melee specialist. You must be very careful."
After issuing the warning, he passed the coordinates of Karsas's Kingdom to Daniel while covertly observing his reaction.
But Daniel's expression remained utterly calm, even laced with a faint trace of disdain.
"No need to worry," Daniel replied coolly. "I have my methods. Just wait here for a moment."
With that, Daniel's figure vanished before the Anygate, disappearing instantly.
Sarko stood there, unable to suppress his internal doubts.
A moment? What kind of 'moment' are we talking about?
After all, depending on your perspective, a "moment" could mean the blink of an eye—or an entire century.
But before Sarko could unravel this mystery, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted within his Kingdom.
The sensation was instantly familiar—unmistakably familiar.
Karsas... He's really here!
[Karsas, Tyrant King of Carnage]
But Sarko didn't react immediately. He was still caught up in disbelief.
How the hell did Daniel do this?
He had just entered the Anygate a second ago, and now Karsas was already here?
So that "moment" Daniel spoke of—he really meant just one second?
Sarko's body responded faster than his mind. Within a heartbeat, he teleported to Karsas's location.
On the other side, Karsas sensed Sarko's aura and instinctively showed a flicker of panic on his otherwise brutal face.
Only a moment ago, he had been basking in the thrill of slaughter in his own palace. Then, in the blink of an eye, he found himself here—in Sarko's Kingdom.
Something had struck him, perhaps a thrown item, but he hadn't even had time to see what it was. By the time he regained awareness, he was already here.
Glaring at Sarko, Karsas bellowed:
"Sarko! What the hell did you do to me!?"
Sarko responded with nothing but a cold, mocking smile.
He didn't answer. Instead, he activated his ability and allowed his body to phase into an intangible state.
In this ethereal form, Karsas couldn't deal any fatal damage to him.
Then, at that exact moment, Sarko launched his first strike.
[Master of Duplicity]
[Gambler's Fate]
With these two skills activated, a massive golden coin appeared in front of Karsas.
"Let's gamble, shall we? If you lose... you'll forfeit all your HP."
"You lunatic! As if I'd bet with a maniac like you!"
Karsas snarled and slammed his colossal fist straight into the giant golden coin.
It wasn't the first time he had encountered this particular ability.
During a previous skirmish over rare Abyssal materials, Sarko had used the exact same trick. Back then, Karsas had countered it in the simplest way possible—punch the coin into oblivion.
And it had worked.
But this time, his punch hit the golden coin—and nothing happened.
The coin didn't shatter.
Instead of panicking, Karsas roared even louder, and his massive frame began to swell, muscles bulging grotesquely. Razor-sharp bone spikes erupted from his spine.
Elsewhere, in a hidden corner of the battlefield, Daniel watched the entire scene unfold with quiet fascination.
He hadn't expected Sarko to be so... devious.
Despite his combat stats being massively boosted by his Kingdom, Sarko still refused to fight head-on. Instead, he was tossing out ability after ability.
Then again, Daniel couldn't deny the logic behind it.
Sarko had never been a physical fighter. His talents were built for tactical trickery and probability manipulation—not brute strength.
Meanwhile, Karsas continued to mutate. His size surged again as he wound up another titanic blow, aiming it directly at the now-glowing golden coin.
This time, the coin began to flicker and dim, its brilliance fading as Karsas's raw power chipped away at it.
But Sarko wasn't about to let things slide.
He activated another skill:
[Father-Son Gambit]
This ability caused four mysterious blind boxes to appear in front of Karsas.
Choose correctly, and Karsas's MP would be fully restored.
Choose incorrectly—and all his MP would be drained.
Even as this high-stakes gamble played out, Sarko showed no signs of slowing down.
One after another, his skills bombarded the battlefield:
[Fanatical Gambler]
[Forget Time]
[Big Chip]
...
With Sarko's God-given talent, even another King of the Abyss couldn't reject all of his imposed bets.
And each of these gambles leaned heavily in Sarko's favor—as they should. That was the very essence of his power.
And within his own Abyss Kingdom, every skill he cast received enormous buffs.
For example, under normal circumstances, [Father-Son Gambit] would only drain half of the target's MP upon failure.
But here, inside his domain? It drained everything.
Unfortunately for Karsas, luck was not on his side.
He chose incorrectly.
MP: Zero.
From the sidelines, Daniel continued watching, deeply intrigued by the chaos.
So this is what a battle between Kings of the Abyss looks like...
He couldn't help but marvel.
It was an impressive clash, full of overwhelming force and strategic manipulation.
And seeing this, Daniel decided to seize the opportunity to test out his new God Rank Skill:
[Abyssal Summoning Spell]
A moment later, ten boss-level Abyssal monsters materialized around him in a circle.
[Abyss Executioner – Level 160]
[Abyss Blooddrinker – Level 160]
[Abyss Thief – Level 160]
...
Each summoned creature was a fully-fledged boss-level monster.
On the battlefield, despite having no MP left, Karsas's assault remained terrifyingly aggressive.
He was, after all, a pure warrior.
Even without skills, his strength alone could tear through mountains.
Roaring with fury, he reached over his shoulder, yanked out a massive bone spike, and hurled it like a spear directly at Sarko.
Boom!
The attack ignored Sarko's ethereal phase and struck clean.
—5 billion HP!
One hit alone cost Sarko 5 billion HP.
Considering his total HP was around 70 billion, Karsas had just shredded 1/14 of his health bar in a single blow.
But before Karsas could press the advantage, a black shadow emerged behind Sarko.
Suddenly, Sarko's health bar flashed—and refilled completely.
[Abyss Shepherd]