Chapter151-A Flustered Ally
"N-no! I-I-I... nya... listen to Ally, we—we're not even that familiar yet!"
Ally's entire expression was one of panic and disarray. For years now, as a devotee of a god, she had always stood on a pedestal far above others.
Even among the younger elites of the Orc clan, no one had ever dared entertain romantic thoughts about her—let alone say something so outrageous right to her face.
If it had been any other creature who dared speak to her that way, Ally would've already drawn her dagger and severed their head on the spot.
But this time... things were different. Completely different.
"Ally... Ally..." she stammered, "The Orc clan might have some ancient traditions about political marriages... but you're human! And right now, the millennial Apocalypse is about to descend... so I... I..."
Watching Ally's overwhelmed reaction, Daniel couldn't help but smile faintly.
"I was just messing with you. No need to get so worked up."
"Anyway, let's talk business. I've been meaning to ask—you haven't told me what your actual mission is. Is it something you can share?"
Just as the question left his lips, a prompt flickered before Daniel's eyes:
[Moon Goddess Luna has initiated an inspection on you.]
[Your Mist effect has triggered and successfully blocked the inspection.]
At that moment, Daniel's real body was still standing inside the Star Upgrade Hall.
Seeing the prompt, his expression immediately turned serious.
He hadn't expected that a mere question would already draw the attention of a god.
Up until now, Daniel had heard plenty of tales and myths regarding the gods ever since arriving here.
But hearing was one thing—this was his first actual brush with divine presence.
His first time facing a god's probing gaze.
And yet, the God Rank Skill truly lived up to its name—its effect was far more potent than he had imagined. It had actually blocked even a god's detection!
Meanwhile, in the Elven territory—
Ally, having heard Daniel's casual explanation, suddenly puffed out her cheeks and bared her small, sharp canines in frustration.
This jerk!
He actually dared to toy with her?
Did he think Lady Ally was someone you could tease at will?!
Still, as Daniel changed the subject to more serious matters, Ally gradually calmed herself down.
She took a breath, then began her solemn invocation.
"Oh great Moon Goddess Luna, I offer this prayer to Your divine radiance..."
As she spoke, Daniel noticed something startling—Ally's entire body began to glow faintly under the soft radiance of moonlight.
Moments later, she opened her eyes again and turned to him, her gaze now laced with subtle meaning.
"Under Luna's instruction, Ally is permitted to tell you a few things."
"Actually, my mission from Her Grace was quite simple: I am to hunt down and eliminate any world bosses ranked Silver and above."
"As for why—Luna didn't say."
"But she did emphasize one thing very clearly: No matter who it is, no one is to be allowed to take the boss kills away."
"However... if Ally can't beat them... well, then there's nothing I can do."
After hearing this, Daniel furrowed his brow slightly.
Something about this didn't sit well with him.
It felt as though the god already knew he was planning to hunt the world boss.
There was an unmistakable air of testing... of deliberate probing.
"...Is that all?" Daniel asked calmly.
"That's it," Ally replied, shaking her head.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly pulled out her communicator.
"Oh, right! Let's add each other as friends."
"Ally hopes we'll be on the same side when the time comes."
"But just so you know—if we do end up enemies, I won't hold back, nya!"
"I've got a whole stash of secret trump cards you haven't seen yet! Don't you dare assume Ally can't beat you!"
With her declaration complete, Ally turned on her heel to leave.
But just as she turned, she felt something tug at her tail once again.
"Nyah! What are you doing?!"
"I want to have a direct conversation with the god you serve."
"But Her Grace Luna refuses!"
...
Clearly, Daniel couldn't keep holding onto Ally's tail forever.
So once his questions were answered, he let her go.
It was obvious she wasn't willing to reveal anything more.
As for the fact that a god now knew of his existence, Daniel wasn't particularly surprised.
After all, at this point, it was likely the entire world knew about him. For the gods to take notice? That was only natural.
The real concern was... their ability to predict his next moves.
Daniel rubbed his forehead, visibly troubled.
That part was going to be a bit of a headache.
But then again, he thought—these were gods. If they couldn't predict anything at all, that would be the truly terrifying part.
If they wanted to predict him, let them.
Even if they set traps for him... worst case scenario, he'd just use [Time Stream] and reset everything.
He was literally manipulating time. Could even gods stop that?
If they could... then they probably wouldn't have fallen in the first place.
Shaking off the thought, Daniel turned back to the panel in front of him.
[Star Upgrade Quest – Phase One: Completed]
[Quest Reward: Spirit of Skills +2]
Yes!
Daniel was thrilled.
He already understood the sheer power of the Spirit of Skills.
Now sure, two of them might not be enough to make him jump with joy under normal circumstances.
But don't forget—he had the Dagger of the God of Thieves!
Two Spirits? That was forty after duplication!
No exaggeration—this reward alone could double his current combat capability.
It was even better than acquiring a new God Rank Skill. Way more direct. Way more satisfying.
After a moment of inward celebration, Daniel steadied his emotions and turned his focus to the next part.
[Star Upgrade Quest – Phase Two]
[Quest 1: Locate a Gold-rank World Boss and reduce its HP to 90%, while ensuring your own survival]
[Quest 2: Defeat 500 Silver-rank World Bosses that are above your level – Solo (Current kills: 1)]
[Quest Reward: Unlock early access to the God Rank Skill Compendium, including Rank #49: Summon – Void Tower]
...
Reading the requirements for Phase Two, Daniel's face twisted into an expression of absolute disbelief.
This was just ridiculous.
An SSS+ difficulty Star Upgrade Quest?
Who designed this? The devil?
At first, Daniel thought it would simply involve defeating a Silver-rank world boss.
Technically, he'd been right.
But he hadn't expected the requirement to be... five hundred of them.
Five. Hundred.
Was this a joke?!
But on second thought, perhaps it wasn't so unreasonable.
Among all possible talent ranks, becoming a 3-Star Awakener was a true watershed moment—marking the divide between elites and the average Awakened.
In terms of level, it was roughly equivalent to hitting Level 100.
Anyone beyond Level 100, in any race, would be considered a core power—a true heavyweight.
Which is precisely why the difficulty spike at 3-Star was so dramatic.
Still, even with all that context, Daniel never imagined his quest would be this insane.
And don't even get started on the Gold-rank World Boss requirement.
That was just plain outrageous.
What kind of joke was this?
Chapter152-Demon Merchant
Gold-rank World Bosses—
Daniel had only ever heard of them in legends.
And that was thousands of years ago, back when the human race stood at the height of its power.
Even then, they had only just barely managed to take down a single gold-rank world boss, and the cost had been staggering.
But now?
His current Star Upgrade Quest actually required him to shave off 10% of such a monster's HP?!
That was no different from yanking a whisker off a tiger's face—it was practically a death wish!
Just how powerful was a gold-rank world boss, really?
While pondering this, Daniel's thoughts drifted toward another mystery he'd been mulling over lately—the upper limit of levels.
Ever since acquiring the [Abyss Dark Blood Stone] and noticing the level of the Emperor of Abyss, he had grown increasingly curious about what lay beyond the known thresholds.
He had even discussed the matter with both the Human Emperor and Sarko, and from their words, Daniel had learned something vital:
The racial level caps could be raised.
Not only could they be raised, but the original racial level limit was only Level 100.
Many races across the multiverse now had a cap of 200, and that increase had only come after completing a difficult upgrade process in the past.
However, any further elevation of the level cap came with incredibly harsh requirements.
Take the human race, for instance:
To raise their level cap again, they would need the core of seven Silver-rank World Bosses.
On top of that, they had to form a raid party comprised solely of humans—and successfully defeat a Silver-rank World Boss above Level 200.
To the current state of humanity, both objectives were practically impossible.
There were some smaller side tasks as well, but the Human Emperor had apparently already taken care of most of them.
All that remained were these two major requirements.
Daniel glanced at his Star Upgrade Quest again.
Maybe... just maybe, he could take care of the level cap upgrade for humanity along the way.
Meanwhile, Ally had already departed from the Mist Mountains,
Her speed was blinding, and her heartbeat raced just as fast.
Damn it!
That insufferable human actually dared to flirt with her!
Next time they met, she swore she would make him pay.
Grinding her teeth, she rushed through an Anygate, returning to the Orc Clan's territory.
But she didn't go home.
Instead, she went directly to the Divine Temple.
Just before stepping through its grand threshold, her mind—completely uninvited—summoned up the image of Daniel's annoyingly handsome face.
"Damn human... The Millennial Apocalypse is just around the corner. You better survive, you hear?"
"But don't get the wrong idea! Ally's not worried about you or anything! It's just that... Her Grace Luna said... that you're crucial to the events of this Millennium Apocalypse."
"If you die, it could cause a disaster for everyone involved."
In the abyss, Daniel's figure reappeared before Sarko.
At that very moment, Sarko was lying in his wine cellar, carefully cradling a bottle of red wine, savoring each sip as if it were the nectar of gods.
"Sarko," Daniel said casually, "these bottles of wine you're drinking from... don't tell me you bought them from that Demon Merchant?"
In truth, Daniel had returned to the abyss precisely because Sarko had informed him that the Demon Merchant had recently arrived.
And seeing the label on Sarko's wine bottle, still marked with human script, Daniel instantly knew—Sarko had definitely made a trade with him.
After a brief conversation, Daniel quickly confirmed his suspicion:
The Demon Merchant was an absolute swindler.
Still, Daniel wanted to meet him.
This wasn't just about business or curiosity—this was something that could affect the fragile peace between the abyss and the surface world.
If not for Daniel's overwhelming power forcing the Emperor of the Abyss into a temporary stalemate, war might have already broken out.
But the sudden appearance of the Demon Merchant had disrupted his carefully laid plans.
If that guy threw a wrench into everything, it could spell serious trouble.
"My friend," Sarko said with a smile, "Charles is currently relaxing in your casino."
"If you want to see him, you can head over right now."
With that, Sarko tipped the bottle, pouring another half-glass into his mouth and savoring it like a connoisseur of fine wine.
"This... this is the taste of sunlight," he sighed in bliss. "Truly intoxicating."
Daniel watched Sarko's look of utter intoxication and couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
Given what he knew of wine, the bottle in Sarko's hand was undoubtedly one of the lowest-quality vintages available.
It was so cheap it cost only two copper coins per bottle.
In fact, it wasn't even real wine—it was artificially flavored ethanol diluted with water and mixed with grape essence.
And this guy had the nerve to call it "the taste of sunlight"?
Please.
This was pure synthetic trash, brought to you by the miracle of science and chemical engineering.
Still, Daniel had no intention of shattering Sarko's fantasy.
So he said nothing and quietly left the wine cellar.
Moments later, Daniel reappeared in his own casino.
Using [Eye of Insight], he quickly located the Demon Merchant—Charles—among a crowd of abyssal beings.
Surrounded by spectators, Charles looked downright miserable as he pushed a mountain of chips toward the dealer.
"What?! How could I lose again?!"
[Charles]
[Race: Demon Clan]
[Level: 200]
[Faith: Luck Goddess]
[Casino Win Rate: 8%]
...So this so-called Demon Merchant, renowned across realms, was actually an unlucky gambler?
Daniel smirked and, in a blink, appeared behind Charles, gently patting him on the shoulder.
Back in the Mist Mountains,
Daniel's clone had already left the area.
With the bizarre creature known as the [Fallen Mountain Giant] defeated, the thick mists that had blanketed the region for ages gradually began to disperse.
The once-feared forbidden zone would now be open to all.
And with this latest victory, Daniel's name once again echoed across the myriad races.
"Oh my god! I can't believe it—Lord Daniel has broken yet another record!!"
On human networks, fans of Daniel multiplied by the day.
Many became obsessed with a single passion: tracking Daniel's every movement, collecting the latest intel, and spreading it far and wide.
Anything associated with Daniel skyrocketed in value.
The most outrageous rumor?
Someone had reportedly paid a fortune for the desk Daniel once used.
Even the dorm room he stayed in had become the most popular attraction at the Royal Academy, now a full-blown tourist destination.
The entire Academy had risen in prominence because of him, becoming the #1 academy in the human world.
Humans weren't the only ones desperate to enroll in the school where Daniel had once studied.
Members of other races were now willing to pay steep prices just for the chance to attend.
The Multiracial Commerce League, thanks to its collaboration with Daniel, became an elite brand practically overnight—drawing in hordes of awakeners eager to trade.
In short, anything and everything associated with Daniel was in high demand.
He had become a living legend—an icon, a brand, and a force reshaping the world with every step.
Chapter153-The Second God Devotee
In a forgotten corner of Castle Mington, far from the bustling attention of the world, Mejir and a group of his former classmates had formed a small party. They were currently locked in a fierce battle against a Level 40 field boss, doing everything in their power to bring the monster down.
Compared to the now legendary Daniel, who had become a household name across the continent, these once-promising students had faded into obscurity. Their fame and glory belonged to the past; now, they were among the most overlooked individuals in the world. Forgotten by history. Overshadowed by destiny.
"Everyone, I know it's been tough. You've really worked hard," Mejir said with a grateful nod.
"What's so hard about it?" one teammate replied with a smile. "We're cooperating, after all."
"At the pace we're moving, it won't be long before we complete the Star Upgrade Quest," another chimed in. "Three days at most."
"Hey, why don't we take a photo together?" someone suggested. "This is our first time taking down a field boss. It's worth commemorating."
"Great idea! It's a milestone in our lives. We should definitely post it to our feed and celebrate."
Excited laughter followed as they gathered to snap a photo. They were just preparing to upload it to their social circles when something caught their attention on the communications network. A post had suddenly rocketed to the top of the trending list. Following it, dozens—no, hundreds—of similar posts flooded in, all centered on one name:
Daniel.
"According to the latest reports, the toxic mists in Misty Valley have dissipated. It appears that the silver-rank world boss has been defeated!"
"Breaking news! Prince Daniel has successfully slain a silver-rank world boss!"
"I've got exclusive footage! Prince Daniel engaged in an epic battle with an unknown, powerful being. See the video for yourself!"
Each post sparked a tidal wave of comments and shares.
Among the elven community, many warriors who had witnessed the battle firsthand had recorded the fight. These videos, unrestricted by any censorship, spread like wildfire across the communication networks. In under a minute, the views surpassed one hundred million.
The entire world's network exploded in an instant.
And the human race—well, they were now in an outright frenzy.
As they watched the jaw-dropping footage, viewers couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and terror. The sheer power and spectacle of the battle left them breathless—but at the same time, their blood boiled with excitement.
"His speed is beyond comprehension! It's practically defying the laws of nature!"
"And that orc woman—who is she? Why is she so ridiculously strong?"
"Daniel didn't eliminate her on the spot... that has to mean she's incredibly powerful."
"No way... are people really this different? I slowed the footage down to one-thousandth speed and still couldn't make out their movements!"
"Someone tell me—what's that blinding rain of light? What skill is that? It's too awesome!"
"Wait a second. Where did the boss's HP bar go? It just vanished!"
"I've been to the Mist Mountains before. The mist there is deadly toxic. It drains eight hundred million HP per second from any awakener."
"Yeah, I've heard of that too. You need specially formulated anti-toxin potions just to survive for even a second. Otherwise, you're dead on entry."
"Has anyone remembered something important? The Human Emperor once said that slaying seven silver-rank world bosses would allow our race to break through the level cap!"
In truth, this information wasn't classified. The connection between defeating silver-rank bosses and lifting the level cap had always been known. But it was simply too difficult to achieve, so most people had given up even discussing it.
Especially after the last great Apocalypse, which had nearly wiped out humanity a thousand years ago. Back then, the humans had joined forces with the gnome race to defeat a single silver-rank world boss.
The cost was devastating.
That single battle drained the human race to the brink of collapse, taking two full centuries just to recover.
So the idea of killing seven silver-rank world bosses? It was a fantasy. An impossible dream.
Until now.
The revelation of Daniel's achievement jolted the human collective memory back to life.
"Wait, it's true! Defeating seven silver-rank bosses will raise our racial skill ceiling!"
"Is anyone sure about this? We need a real expert here."
"I've checked the ancient archives—this is indeed confirmed lore."
"Me too. I cross-referenced with the Chronicle of Old Realms. It's legit."
With confirmation pouring in, another wave of shock and exhilaration surged through the network.
"Do you think we might actually see this happen? Daniel, all by himself, fulfilling the requirement to unlock the level cap?"
"No way. He's strong, but not stronger than the Human Emperor, right?"
"I disagree. I think he can do it. Don't forget—just yesterday, Daniel was a complete nobody!"
"Exactly! In less than a day, he's broken records, defied expectations, and performed miracles!"
"I believe in him. Prince Daniel will make it happen!"
As Mejir stared at the flood of messages and fanfare, his finger hovered midair above the "post" button. His expression froze.
In this kind of atmosphere... was there even a point to sharing their little group photo?
If he really posted it now, wouldn't he just become a laughingstock?
They were all from the same graduating class. How could the difference between them be so vast?
Daniel had just taken down a silver-rank world boss.
And here he was, feeling proud over a simple field boss.
There was nothing worth bragging about.
Forget it.
Why bother embarrassing myself?
...
At Winterhold Castle, the Human Emperor had just finished watching the same footage. A quiet smile crept across his face, full of pride, yet tinged with helplessness.
"Daniel... You truly are the hope of the human race. I knew I wasn't wrong about you."
"You must grow stronger—quickly. Only then can you stand beside me and help save our people."
"But... you're already this powerful?"
"You defeated a silver-rank world boss alone!"
Even the Human Emperor himself wasn't entirely sure he could manage that feat solo.
For the first time, he began to wonder: Was Daniel already stronger than him?
Would he... be the one left behind?
...
[Charles][Race: Demon Clan][Level: 200][Faith: Luck Goddess][Title: Second Devotee of the Luck Goddess]
In the depths of the abyss, Daniel looked at Charles's status panel. A flicker of surprise crossed his face.
He never imagined that he would encounter another devotee of a god—especially here, in the abyss.
Normally, meeting a god devotee was an extremely rare occurrence. Most people went their entire lives without seeing one.
But within just an hour, he had met two: Ally, and now Charles.
He couldn't help but wonder—was this a stroke of good luck?
Or the beginning of something far more ominous?
Chapter154-Traditional God
Now that Daniel had confirmed Charles was indeed a devotee of a god,
he finally understood how the man had managed to enter the abyss so effortlessly.
After all, with a god behind him, something like traversing the abyss was hardly an obstacle.
At the center of the casino, Charles let out a frustrated roar:
"Damn it! Why did I lose again?!"
"One million chips—just like that, gone?!"
At this point, Charles seemed to have fully entered the mindset of a feverish gambler, not even acknowledging Daniel's hand tapping his shoulder.
He just couldn't understand it.
It was supposed to be a 50% chance of winning. So why was he always losing?
Of course, from Daniel's perspective, this was all just surface noise.
In truth, one of Charles' hidden attributes was slowly rising.
[Law of Lucky Conservation: Misfortune accumulates latent luck. The user may activate stored luck at will for a guaranteed favorable outcome.]
So that was it.
Charles was intentionally using this ability to stack luck—losing now so that when the time came, he could make one all-in play and win it all back... possibly with interest.
Daniel couldn't help but marvel. The powers bestowed by gods were, without exception, absurdly broken.
Even Ally had held back during their previous battle.
Meanwhile, Charles—unsurprisingly—lost yet another game.
But this time, instead of continuing to gamble, he turned to Daniel with a wry smile and greeted him.
"Hey there, human. You know... you really gave me a scare earlier."
Daniel remained silent, simply staring at him.
Seeing Daniel's blank reaction, Charles gave a sheepish cough.
"Ahem... That was just a joke, okay? No hard feelings!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you're Daniel, aren't you?"
"I just saw a news feed about you—something like... oh, right! You took down a Silver-rank World Boss, didn't you? The whole world is cheering for you now!"
He leaned in slightly, voice dripping with mock sympathy.
"But honestly? Your accomplishment wasn't that impressive. If Her Grace, the Luck Goddess, would just grant me a bit more power, I could easily pull off the same thing."
"Don't you think these ignorant masses are a bit... boring? Not to mention foolish?"
He didn't bother asking Daniel how he had entered the abyss.
In Charles' mind, he'd already figured it out.
"Word is, you've built a ton of Infinite Divine Temples throughout the abyss kingdom. This so-called Infinite God of yours... I'm guessing it's not a traditional god, is it?"
Daniel nodded, looking casual and unconcerned.
"That's right. And?"
On the surface, he appeared relaxed. But inside, Daniel was already prepared to activate [Time Stream] at any moment if things went south.
Charles paused, seemingly caught off guard by the casual answer.
"Huh. I guess it's not that big of a deal... but don't you think you should be more discreet?"
Daniel gave a faint smile.
"This isn't the surface world, is it?"
"True, this is the abyss. You can speak freely here."
"However... aren't you worried that I might spread this information?"
"And if you do, what then?"
"Well, I mean... I could..."
Charles trailed off, his words left hanging as he raised his head and looked squarely at Daniel.
"On second thought... it probably wouldn't change anything."
He was fully aware of Daniel's current standing among the human race.
Let's be honest—
Even if Daniel didn't worship a traditional god, the humans wouldn't dare touch him.
The man had made monumental contributions to humanity.
Unless he did something truly unforgivable, no one would lay a finger on him.
Besides, worshiping a non-traditional god wasn't the same as following an evil god.
Having come to that conclusion, Charles dropped the subject.
Daniel, on the other hand, smoothly shifted the conversation.
"Charles, this visit of yours to the abyss seems a bit earlier than usual."
"Sarko told me you came here specifically to find me. So, what do you want?"
Charles casually gathered his chips into his bag, gave a light chuckle, and replied,
"Oh, it's nothing too complicated. I just want to strike a deal with you."
"What kind of deal?"
"Well, my request is quite small, really. As a merchant, I live for deals. But before we dive into the details... wouldn't you like to know what kind of reward I'm offering you?"
Daniel frowned slightly, growing impatient.
"Can you just get to the point?"
"My apologies. It's a habit of mine. I'll try to stay focused."
"I came to offer you something... the location of the Artist."
Daniel's eyes widened slightly, and a chill ran down his spine.
The Artist?
According to his earlier conversation with the Human Emperor, this so-called "Artist" was almost certainly the culprit behind the annihilation of the gnome race.
"That's right. The Artist," Charles said with a sly grin.
"Don't tell me you're not even a little curious about their creations? Don't you want to control those kinds of... devastating masterpieces?"
"So, what do you say? Interested in my deal now?"
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
"And what do you want in return?"
Charles's smile broadened.
"Simple. I want... your life."
"You want my life?" Daniel scoffed.
Without hesitation, he summoned his Spirit of Skills and launched an attack.
He held back slightly—he wasn't aiming to kill Charles, just to warn him.
But Charles, still wearing that relaxed grin, effortlessly parried the blow.
"Lord Daniel, you really are as impulsive as they say."
As he spoke, Charles raised one finger, and in the blink of an eye, the entire space around Daniel froze—time and air locked in stillness.
"Even here in the abyss, I stay informed about what happens on the surface."
"Your battle with Ally? I watched the whole thing."
"Magnificent performance, truly. You've earned your title as humanity's brightest star."
"But when it comes to manipulating space, it seems you're a bit outmatched by me."
Just as those words left his mouth, Charles suddenly felt two cold blades pressing against his neck.
His instincts screamed.
To his left... and to his right...
Two Daniels had appeared—each with a sword resting gently on his throat.
"Let's cut to the chase," Daniel said calmly.
"What's your real purpose?"
Chapter155-Who's the Madman?
Daniel stepped forward calmly, one slow and deliberate step.
Yet this seemingly insignificant movement was enough to make Charles look like a complete fool.
To Daniel, this was nothing unusual. After all, even if the Emperor of the Abyss had personally moved to seal off the entire space, it still wouldn't be enough to restrict his actions.
Let alone Charles—who was merely a 5-star awakener.
He seriously thought he could use spatial confinement against him? What a joke.
Besides, the Luck Goddess governed luck—not space.
"You demons really are a crafty bunch," Daniel said coldly. "Now that the sword is already at your throat, do you still have any other bright ideas?"
"I..."
Charles opened his mouth, but the smile on his face remained unfazed.
"Your Highness Daniel," he said, still smiling faintly, "do you truly dare to kill me? Aren't you afraid of offending the Luck Goddess—and becoming plagued by misfortune for the rest of your life?"
Daniel simply grinned, revealing two rows of pristine white teeth.
"Why don't you take a guess? Want to bet on whether I have the guts to kill you?"
Charles was momentarily stunned. After a moment of hesitation, he cast the skill [Identify].
But what he saw shocked him to his core.
The Daniel standing before him... was a complete madman!
He actually harbored genuine intent to kill!
He wasn't bluffing. He wasn't afraid of gods at all!
This guy was out of his mind. A lunatic—pure and simple!
Unease crept into Charles's heart like a cold wind through a crack in the wall.
Daniel, standing idly nearby, naturally noticed the shift in his demeanor.
In truth, Daniel had already seen through Charles's game. From the start, this had all been a test—a deliberate probe.
If it weren't for that fact, [Phantom Slash] would've long since turned Charles into minced meat.
"I'll give you one chance," Daniel said. "Tell me your real purpose. If you tell the truth, I might consider sparing you."
Charles's lips twitched ever so slightly. Only now did he realize how little he truly knew about Daniel.
The real Daniel was nothing like the image painted by the public data networks. No... the actual man was dominant, ruthless—offering no room for rebuttal.
At this point, Charles knew he couldn't afford to stall any longer.
"I want to hire you to kill the Artist."
"You could've just said that from the beginning," Daniel replied with a faint smirk. He snapped his fingers, and in an instant, the two clones standing behind Charles vanished into thin air.
"Now tell me everything—clearly."
Charles hesitated for a moment, but after weighing their respective power levels, he gave up the idea of fleeing altogether.
"I'll share a secret with you," he began. "The material Artist uses to produce the Primordial Core Weapon—the god's remains—I was the one who sold it to them."
"I admit I underestimated them. Those short, ugly freaks... they harbor some terrifying ideas."
"Not only did they use god remains to forge Primordial Core Weapons, but with their own technology, they've also created a powerful gold-rank world boss."
"The situation has spiraled out of control. Their next target with the Primordial Core Weapon is likely the demon clan."
Here, Charles paused. His tone grew more serious.
"That's why I truly hope you can help me eliminate the Artist."
"And as payment—everything the Artists possess will belong to you."
"You done talking?" Daniel asked.
Charles instinctively nodded. He had just opened his mouth to say more when Daniel suddenly activated [Time Stream], rewinding the flow of time back to the moment just before the conversation began.
...
"You want me to kill the Artist, right?"
Charles was stunned by the question, caught off-guard. After a moment of confusion, he asked in disbelief, "How... how do you know that?"
"Because I wanted to know," Daniel said, "so I found out. And I also know something else—you are the true culprit behind the destruction of the gnome race."
Charles's face instantly turned pale.
But soon, he regained his composure.
"That's just your opinion," he said. "I'm merely a merchant."
"As for the god remains, they were part of a business deal with the Artists. I had no idea they would use them to create such devastating weapons."
From beginning to end, Daniel had been using [Eye of Insight].
He could clearly tell that Charles was lying through his teeth.
"No," Daniel said flatly. "You knew full well that they bought those god remains to forge Primordial Core Weapons."
Charles's face twisted again.
"I... I truly didn't know."
Still lying.
Daniel calmly shook his head. "There's no need to deceive me. I already know the whole story."
"...Fine. I admit it."
"But my true plan," Charles continued, "was to use the Artists to build the Primordial Core Weapon—and then steal it from them once it was complete."
"You know how terrifying the millennial Apocalypse is. If we had control over the Primordial Core Weapon, wouldn't we stand a better chance of survival?"
"Even against those powerful diamond-rank world bosses—or the starborn monsters—could they really withstand an attack from a Primordial Core Weapon?"
"Yes, my plan was just that. But who could have foreseen things going sideways?"
"They successfully created the Primordial Core Weapon, but we failed to seize it. Worse, they launched it themselves... and the result was near annihilation for the gnome race."
Daniel nodded slightly.
According to [Eye of Insight], this time, Charles was telling the truth.
Sensing Daniel's silent approval, Charles let out an involuntary sigh of relief, then continued.
"Honestly, I'm a victim of this deal, too."
"I've told you the full story now. So let me ask you—are you willing to accept this mission?"
"To tell you the truth, I don't have any special feelings toward the demon clan. Whether they perish or not has nothing to do with me."
"I just don't want the Primordial Core Weapon to continue existing in this world."
"No matter the race, its existence is a tremendous threat."
This time, too, Charles was being truthful.
Because the demon clan—like the Abyss—was inherently selfish. They cared not for their brethren's lives, only for their own strength and survival.
Even after learning the full truth, Daniel didn't rush to give an answer.
"I've got one last question," he said. "How can you be so sure I'm capable of handling this?"
"...Truth is, I can't be sure," Charles replied, expression darkening. "But right now—I have no other choice."
Chapter156-Swindler Merchant
"No other choice? What do you mean by that?"
"What else could I possibly mean?"
A helpless smile appeared on Charles's face. He let out a soft sigh before responding with a question of his own.
"In your opinion, who do you think is currently the strongest force on the surface?"
Daniel furrowed his brows at the unexpected question.
Under normal circumstances, the most powerful individuals should be the emperors of the ten great races.
But judging from recent events, the god devotees seemed to surpass even the emperors.
And as for those capable of defeating god devotees now...
Daniel's mouth twitched slightly. After a pause, he pointed at his own nose, his expression turning strangely awkward.
"You're not saying it's me, are you?"
"Who else could it be, if not you?"
"Besides, your reputation has already spread within the god devotee circles."
Daniel paused for a moment, clearly caught off guard.
"What do you mean, your god devotee circles?"
"Oh? Don't tell me you didn't know?"
A trace of surprise flickered across Charles's face, but he still went on to explain:
"Among us traditional god devotees, there has always been a form of connection."
"In the past five hundred years, the gods have become increasingly active. It was around that time that we were chosen and became devotees."
"With the Millennium Apocalypse about to arrive, we—those chosen by the traditional gods—have decided to band together to resist it."
"By the way, Ally is the youngest among us. She awakened her talent five years ago and was chosen by a god to become a devotee."
"So that's how it is..."
Daniel nodded slowly, finally beginning to understand. Ally had known all along that he wasn't one of the traditional god devotees.
"So, would the current strongest person on the continent be interested in a deal with me?"
"I'll provide you with the precise locations of the Artists. All you need to do is eliminate them."
As Charles spoke, a gleam of excitement surfaced on his face.
"Well? Doesn't that sound like a fair trade? The Artists may be dangerous, but I assume you've long since grown accustomed to danger."
Daniel didn't hesitate long. He gave a simple nod, agreeing directly and without delay.
"I'll make the deal."
No matter what, the Primordial Core Weapon was too dangerous to be left in the hands of those lunatics. He had to obtain it!
Besides, Daniel had just learned a new God Rank Skill—[Gift of the Veiled Goddess]—which allowed him to use consumables without limit.
In other words, if he could get his hands on the Primordial Core Weapon, he would essentially be able to use it infinitely!
The memory of Terra Fortress came flooding back to him, and Daniel's heart surged with heat.
If he could master such a powerful weapon, he might actually stand a chance against the incoming Millennium Apocalypse.
Even someone as powerful as the Emperor of the Abyss probably couldn't withstand a direct hit from the Primordial Core Weapon.
On the other side, Charles beamed with joy the moment Daniel agreed.
"In that case, let's hope for a pleasant partnership!"
"Oh, and here—take this."
As he spoke, Charles pulled three cards from his backpack and handed them to Daniel.
One black, one white, and one red. The colors matched the hues of the moons in the sky.
"The Artists are cautious. Though they're insane, they're the rational kind of insane. They're not as easy to deal with as you might think. And behind them lies an even deeper, more dangerous force."
"These three cards will allow you access to the Artists' hiding places. Make sure to keep them safe."
Daniel nodded and placed the cards into his inventory space.
Charles narrowed his eyes, his smile growing even more radiant.
"Daniel, before you set off, I have one small question."
"Are you prepared to throw away your life?"
Daniel smiled calmly, showing no sign of hesitation.
"Don't worry. I won't die."
Charles chuckled softly, then reached into his chest pocket and retrieved an old, bronze-colored coin.
"Here, this is something His Grace—the god—asked me to give you."
"It's a very special item. You're quite lucky."
Wait—something from a god?
Daniel blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected that the Luck Goddess had actually prepared a gift for him.
At the same time, a system prompt appeared before his eyes:
[Ancient Lucky Copper Coin]
Effect: Upon use, you will become a devotee of the Luck Goddess and receive her divine protection.
"If you ever find yourself in trouble, or in a situation where your life is at risk, you can use this coin to pray to Her Grace. She'll definitely protect you."
"Daniel, you're a truly remarkable individual. No matter which god you choose to serve, you're bound to be their first-choice devotee."
Only now did Daniel fully grasp Charles's true intention.
So this was all a ploy to recruit him for the Luck Goddess.
But surely, Charles could already tell that Daniel had become a devotee of another god.
Now Daniel couldn't help but suspect that Charles had sold those god husks to the Artists under the instruction of the Luck Goddess as well.
His first impression of the Luck Goddess had always been that of... a bit of a lunatic.
After all, what kind of sane being would willingly sell divine husks to a bunch of madmen like the Artists?
"If you've made up your mind, then we can proceed with the contract."
"I'll also provide you with a portal leading directly to the Artists' hideouts. That should save you quite a bit of time."
"In this world, apart from the gods themselves, I'm probably the only one capable of opening such long-distance portals."
Charles said this with clear pride—it was, after all, one of the main reasons he was such a successful merchant.
"Alright then, let's sign the contract."
"Excellent! Lord Daniel, I look forward to the day you become one of the Luck Goddess's devotees!"
...
Inside the Divine Temple, Ally sat devoutly, offering up a silent prayer to Moon Goddess Luna.
A moment later, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at the statue before her, whispering under her breath:
"Your Grace Luna, I understand now."
"I'll carry out your will and continue the mission."
With a gentle sigh, she pulled out her communicator and sent a message to Daniel.
"Daniel, I heard you accepted Charles's deal, right?"
"Let me tell you something—Charles is a shameless swindler. How could you possibly trust him?"
"Those Artists are far more dangerous than you think. They have an obsessive, pathological craving for Primordial Core Weapons."
"I know you're powerful, but I still don't think you should take on this mission."
"Charles is just using you—to help consume the Primordial Core Weapons."
"And the Luck Goddess... she's crazy. You really need to be careful with her!!"
Chapter157-City of the Artists
Upon seeing the message from Ally, the corner of Daniel's mouth twitched slightly.
As expected of a god's devotee—she dared to openly curse even other gods!
After pondering for a moment, Daniel responded by contacting Ally directly through his communicator.
"Thanks for the warning, but don't worry about me."
...
With a single step, Daniel entered the portal. In the next instant, his figure emerged in the midst of a vast desert.
The space was enormous. No matter which direction he looked, the horizon was filled with endless dunes.
It was obvious that this barren place was completely unfit for any kind of life.
However, at the far end of the desert, a massive statue loomed in the distance.
Based on the information Charles had provided, Daniel instantly recognized it—beneath the statue lay the hideout of the Artists.
And truth be told, these so-called Artists really lived up to their name.
They were serious about their art—so much so that they had built an entire sculpted city.
Within this sprawling sculptural city, all forms of artistry had been pushed to the extreme.
The scale of this city was so grand, it exceeded any city Daniel had seen before.
Apparently, the Artists weren't just a handful of individuals.
They had already broken away from the gnome race and evolved into an entirely new species.
Within this monumental city lived countless beings who referred to themselves as Artists.
Daniel immediately activated his [Eye of Insight], and sure enough, hovering above the city was an invisible barrier.
[God Husk – Kalthor]
Effect: Scans every individual who enters the city, verifying whether they possess valid identification.
So... the cards Charles had given him—those black, white, and red ones—were actually proof of identity!
Daniel retrieved the cards from his backpack and tucked them into his pocket.
Then, without hesitation, he made his way toward the city at top speed.
Thanks to the presence of [Mist], even if he strolled openly through the streets, no one would pay him any mind.
But as soon as he entered the city proper, Daniel was left stunned by what he saw.
This was a vibrant and bustling metropolis, with fully functioning infrastructure.
Even various shops and trading markets were present!
At that moment, the massive city was in the middle of an unprecedented celebration.
"Success in the Primordial Core Weapon trial—this is a victory like no other!"
"Celebrate the breakthrough of the Primordial Core Weapon! From now on, we are invincible!!"
A swarm of gnome-like beings who called themselves Artists danced and sang in the city's central plaza. They drank wheat juice and grape nectar with abandon, their faces brimming with joy.
They appeared utterly unbothered by the approaching calamity known as the Millennium Apocalypse.
But upon second thought, Daniel began to suspect something deeper.
Maybe—just maybe—this so-called Millennium Apocalypse was connected to these Artists!
In the plaza, the Artists sipped their drinks, hummed old ballads, and gossiped freely among themselves.
"I heard the human race has produced some powerful new guy."
"Yeah, I heard that too. Supposedly his name's Daniel. Probably just some lucky fool—not worth paying attention to."
"Still, his power is increasing rapidly. Do you think he could interfere with our plans?"
"Interfere with our plans? Don't make me laugh. Could his strength possibly withstand even one blast from a Primordial Core Weapon?"
"Exactly! Genius or not, everyone is equal beneath the Core Weapon!"
"..."
Listening to the Artists' casual chatter, Daniel's lips curled into a faint smirk.
So these lunatics were planning to kill him too?
If that's the case, then don't blame me for what's coming.
He casually reached into his backpack and pulled out a small vial filled with a pale purple liquid.
[Mist Venom]
Effect: Deals 50 million poison damage per second, lasts for one hour.
Description: Extracted from the toxic gases of Mist Mountains. Allegedly connected to an experiment involving the Fallen Mountain Giant.
Are you ready, my dear Artists?
Daniel gave a soft smile, then gently uncorked the vial.
In an instant, the liquid evaporated into a shimmering purple mist that spread outward into the air.
Within the blink of an eye, the entire plaza was swallowed by a cloud of violet fog.
Without pausing, Daniel continued walking deeper into the heart of the city.
To him, these so-called Artists had long since lost their minds.
They had fallen under the influence of the Millennium Apocalypse. Their personalities were deteriorating into madness and destruction—an irreversible descent.
That's when Daniel noticed something strange at the city center: a giant water tank.
The tank stood at least a hundred meters tall, filled with a glowing blue, semi-transparent liquid.
Suspended in the middle of the tank was... a colossal head.
At the base of the head, countless pipes—ranging in size and shape—snaked outward and connected the head to unknown machinery.
Daniel froze, a wave of instinctive fear surging through him.
A god. That's a god!
With the aid of [Eye of Insight], Daniel finally learned the origin of the massive head.
It was the head of God Kalthor.
As for the pipes extending from it, who knew where they led?
At that moment, a glowing prompt box appeared before Daniel's eyes—one edged in gold.
He had never seen this kind of system prompt before.
[Important!]
[The masterwork of the Artists, part of the Godmaking Project.]
[Included components: Head of Kalthor, Right Arm of McMington, Torso of Marchidona...]
Upon reading the analysis, Daniel's face turned grim.
Until now, aside from [God's Blood], he had never seen the physical form of an actual god.
But today, he not only witnessed the true appearance of one god—he saw the remains of several.
These Artists... these maniacs... what exactly were they trying to do?
Daniel involuntarily took a deep breath, a chill running down his spine. At the same time, he noticed another update on the prompt box.
[Godmaking Project — Rebirth]
Level: 300
Current Tier: Diamond-Rank (Incomplete)
Race: God
Status: Abnormal
HP: Unknown
Trait: Immune to all damage below demigod rank, including true, physical, and magical damage.
Skills: God's Sigh, Divine Retribution, God's Lament...
...
Daniel instinctively wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Yet his steps did not falter. He continued to weave his way through the city.
This was the first time he had ever seen a Diamond-Rank creature.
Up to now, even in legends, he had only heard of Gold-Rank beasts.
Above Gold came Platinum-Rank, and only after that—Diamond-Rank.
To put it simply, if a Diamond-Rank monster had ever existed in this world before now...
Then all intelligent races—humans included—wouldn't have survived to see today.
Chapter158-EX-Rank Talent
Daniel weaved silently through the labyrinthine streets of the Artist's city, steadily drawing closer to the massive water tank at its center.
Even just reading the description in the system prompts left him with an overwhelming sense of helplessness and suffocation.
No wonder his mission had only required him to inflict 10% damage on a Gold-Rank World Boss.
Even that had already seemed impossibly difficult—now the context made perfect sense.
Just then, he noticed something strange—his body was beginning to undergo a subtle change.
More peculiarly, dark clouds had begun to gather in the skies above.
Daniel paused, startled. This sensation—it was oddly familiar.
It felt exactly like the moment he had first arrived at the Star Upgrade Hall to accept the Star Upgrade Quest.
Could it be... that the Artist's city also housed a Star Upgrade Hall?
Without hesitation, Daniel immediately sent his clone stationed near Castle Mington to head straight for the Star Upgrade Hall.
At the same time, he amplified the effects of the God Rank Skill [Mist] to its maximum.
Moments later, Daniel's figure materialized once again inside the familiar Star Upgrade Hall near Castle Mington.
And the moment he stepped onto that sacred platform, a special prompt window popped up before his eyes:
[Hidden condition detected. You are eligible to accept a special mission.]
[Star Upgrade Quest (Special)]
[Mission: Land a direct attack on a Diamond-Rank monster and deal at least 1% of its maximum HP as damage.]
[Reward: Talent upgraded to EX-Rank – "Infinity."]
EX-Rank???
Daniel's breath caught in his throat—he even began to suspect he was hallucinating.
What kind of joke was this?
He had never even heard of a so-called EX-Rank for talent. It sounded like some sort of parody.
And to top it off, the name of this supposedly supreme talent wasn't even that impressive. It was simply... "Infinity."
However...
Daniel's mind suddenly recalled a detail—something he'd overlooked before.
The [Divine Temple Keystone] he had obtained had produced a temple named "Infinity Divine Temple."
Could it be that...!?
[Do you wish to accept this special mission?]
Staring at the prompt, Daniel hesitated.
By now, he had gained a much deeper understanding of the rules that governed this world.
Under the orchestration of the Supreme Will, this world always followed certain foundational principles.
For instance: the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
And now, this special mission promised to upgrade his talent to an unprecedented EX-Rank.
Which could only mean that behind this task lay unimaginable danger.
Even the slightest misstep could result in his death.
But then again...
With [Flashback] and [Time Stream] at his disposal, Daniel held a considerable advantage.
If things truly went south, he still had a chance to go back and try again.
So, after only a brief moment of hesitation, Daniel accepted the mission.
Even though the reward didn't seem as flashy as some of the loot-heavy quests he'd taken before—just a simple talent upgrade—
Daniel had a strong feeling that this upgrade would prove critical in the days to come.
...
In the blink of an eye, Daniel returned to the Artist's city.
But this time, he hadn't come alone.
Not only had he arrived in person, but he had also brought all of his clones with him.
His Spirit of Skills avatars had all manifested as well—and every single one of them had entered a pre-charging state.
Daniel had even summoned a contingent of abyssal creatures—specifically, all melee units.
With ranged and melee attackers coordinated, he also allocated half of his clones to equip longswords.
Because this time, he planned to test the true power of his newly acquired ability: [Phantom Slash].
He was facing a Diamond-Rank monster—
Even if it was incomplete, it was still enough to warrant Daniel going all out.
Moreover, he had outfitted his clones with a huge array of consumable items he'd gathered:
[Clusterbomb Fruit], [Irresolvable Venom], [Fang of the Serpent God]...
Anything Daniel considered useful, he equipped.
After all, during his fight with Ally, she had said she hadn't gone all-out.
But then again, Daniel hadn't either.
During that match, he'd only used about 30% of his power.
But this situation was entirely different.
Daniel knew—he had only one chance to launch his attack.
If he failed, he'd have to rely on [Time Stream] to rewind and try a different strategy.
Holding his breath, Daniel locked eyes on the severed god head floating in the center of the massive water tank.
This is it. Now!
[Meteor Arrow Rain]—Activate!
At that moment, half of Daniel's clones, together with all the Spirit of Skills, unleashed their fully charged [Meteor Arrow Rain].
Simultaneously, the remaining clones charged directly toward the massive water tank.
The skies above the Artist city were instantly filled with radiant starlight.
A dazzling meteor shower blazed across the heavens, each arrowhead carrying the scent of death.
Ting—Ting—Ting—
A flurry of arrows slammed into the water tank, and strings of system notifications popped up:
—0
—0
—0
...
Daniel's screen was instantly flooded with billions of "0s."
This barrage of attacks hadn't inflicted even a scratch!
And then, at that exact moment, the severed head of the god within the tank abruptly opened its eyes.
Its pupils were pitch-black and terrifying.
And those eyes... were staring directly at Daniel's true body.
"Well then, looks like I underestimated the situation."
Daniel shrugged helplessly.
[Time Stream]—Activate!
When he opened his eyes again, he had rewound time to the moment just before his attack.
This time, Daniel didn't immediately go on the offensive.
Instead, he cast one long glance toward the distant water tank.
At this point, the god's head inside was still unaware of his presence.
Daniel reached into his backpack and retrieved the white card given to him by Charles.
This white card granted access to the city's underground sector—a research area restricted to official researchers.
Before Daniel even entered the city, he had already used [Eye of Insight] to analyze its full structure.
The surface city was where the common Artists lived and operated.
But the real heart of the operation—the true core—was buried underground in a hidden research facility.
Daniel had even managed to locate the Primordial Core Weapon's exact storage site.
But even a fool could guess—it must be heavily protected with countless restrictions.
Storming in head-on would be pure suicide.
Unless...
Unless Daniel could synthesize the 80th-ranked skill in the God Rank Skill Compendium:
[Wormhole Traverse].
This skill didn't allow for long-distance teleportation.
But it had one unique effect—it could bypass any and all restrictions.
Even though [Flashback] was powerful, it required prior visitation.
That's why [Wormhole Traverse] was crucial in a place like this.
With that thought in mind, Daniel quietly slipped into the underground sector of the Artist's city.
Chapter159-The Great Explosion
Unlike the magnificence above ground, the underground of the Artist City was an entirely different world.
Here, countless narrow passageways twisted and turned in every direction, branching endlessly into the unknown.
But inside Daniel's mind, a complete map of the city had already been formed.
So he merely confirmed his bearings and headed straight toward the location where the Primordial Core Weapon was stored.
Although he knew the place would undoubtedly be protected by layers of restrictions and scanning systems, under the effect of [Mist], not even a god would be able to detect his presence.
As a result, a bizarre scene unfolded—
Though it was his first time here, Daniel moved as if he had lived in this place his entire life, completely at ease.
Along the way, he even collected numerous blueprints for the Primordial Core Weapon.
And from what he could tell, these blueprints were far more refined and advanced than the ones the Human Emperor had given him.
As he passed through one of the laboratories, Daniel stumbled upon detailed documentation regarding the Godmaking Project: execution plans, cultivation protocols, rejection reaction management, and more—everything laid out in full.
In other rooms, he found all kinds of scattered research and experimental results, many of which proved quite valuable.
[Luck Potion Recipe][Comprehensive Guide to God Prayers][God Bestiary]
...
When he saw the [God Bestiary], Daniel came to an abrupt stop.
This was something not even the human race had access to.
Instinctively, he flipped through the pages, searching for any mention of a god named Infinity.
However, much to his dismay—
Even in this extensive catalog, there was absolutely no record of anything related to "Infinity."
Still, that didn't diminish the importance of the book.
After safely stowing it away, Daniel continued exploring until he discovered something even more disturbing in another laboratory:
"Feasibility Study: Destroying the Oden Continent via the Abyss"
"...What?"
Daniel blinked, an odd expression appearing on his face.
Was this some kind of twisted joke?
These Artists were certifiably insane.
The world hadn't even ended yet, and they were already planning to destroy an entirely different continent?
As for the Oden Continent, Daniel only had limited knowledge.
It was something he'd only come across in legends—supposedly, a continent separated from this world by a vast, endless ocean.
No one had ever successfully reached it.
But after reading this Artist report, Daniel suddenly had a different thought—
Could it really be possible to travel to that distant land through the Abyss?
He quickly stored the report for future study—something told him this could prove critical one day.
...
At this point, Daniel was like someone gorging himself at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Whenever he saw something valuable, he took it.
Even if it wasn't immediately useful, he kept a copy for future reference.
By the time he reached his destination, he'd amassed an enormous amount of resources.
But instead of feeling elated, Daniel's heart had grown heavier.
Because he had come to realize—these so-called Artists were far more dangerous than he'd ever imagined.
They possessed not only extreme intelligence, but also cold, terrifying rationality.
And behind that icy logic lurked a kind of hysterical madness.
To put it bluntly, if their goal wasn't world destruction, they might have founded one of the most brilliant civilizations in history.
Even compared to the human race, they were not inferior at all.
And Daniel only said that out of pride for his own people.
If he were to look at it objectively, he'd admit that humans might actually be far behind.
What was even more concerning was that everything he had acquired so far wasn't even considered "classified" by the Artists.
None of it represented their core technologies.
The most precious secrets were surely stored somewhere far more secure.
Finally, after wandering through the underground maze for what felt like hours, Daniel arrived before a massive gate forged from mithril.
According to scans from [Eye of Insight], this mithril gate directly guarded the Primordial Core Weapon vault.
And just next to it, a sign had been affixed—Primordial Core Weapon Storage Facility.
Only now did Daniel fully understand why the various races of the world had once paid such a steep price to eradicate these Artists.
These lunatics simply could not be allowed to exist.
They were too intelligent. Too advanced. But their obsession was destruction.
Letting them live was inviting doom.
Their current version of the Primordial Core Weapon could already obliterate an entire city with ease.
Give them another thousand years, and who knew what abominations they might create?
These maniacs—they didn't just want to destroy a city, or a continent.
Their goal was the total annihilation of the world.
Now he understood. The Millennium Apocalypse wasn't just a myth—it was real, and its roots were here.
Daniel had a gut feeling: if no one intervened, the destruction of the world would only be a matter of time.
...
Standing before the mithril gate, Daniel pulled out the last card in his possession—the red one.
The moment it emerged, the gate began to ripple like water, melting silently into the ground.
At the same time, a blinding white light erupted from the vault, as if the sun itself had risen in the depths of the earth.
BOOOOM!!
Instantly, Daniel's HP dropped to zero.
All thirty trillion hit points he had evaporated in an instant.
Before the Primordial Core Weapon, they meant absolutely nothing.
[You have used item: Ancient Lucky Copper Coin]
[You are now under the protection of the Luck Goddess]
[You have become a devotee of the Luck Goddess]
...
Seeing this chain of notifications, Daniel wasted no time—
[Time Stream] – Activate!
When he opened his eyes again, he was back at the same place—right in front of the mithril gate.
So that's how it works...
Daniel frowned, and realization dawned upon him.
He now understood the real function of the Ancient Lucky Copper Coin.
The Luck Goddess had orchestrated this all along.
Her true goal was obvious: to force him into becoming her devotee.
What was wrong with her?
Why did she seem so determined to "bless" him?
Daniel's expression twisted into one of reluctant amusement.
But in the next moment, he vanished from the spot.
With the help of [Eye of Insight], Daniel had already uncovered the real mechanism behind the Primordial Core Weapon vault.
As it turned out, simply holding an identity card wasn't enough to open the door safely.
You also needed to activate twelve separate control terminals, located throughout the city.
Only if all twelve were activated simultaneously could the vault be opened without consequence.
If you only used the identity card without syncing the consoles—
It would immediately trigger a massive detonation from within the vault.
Honestly, the Artists were terrifyingly thorough.
Anyone else trying to break in would have been instantly obliterated.
But unfortunately for them, they had encountered Daniel, who possessed the [Eye of Insight].
In fact, before even reaching the vault, Daniel had already marked the locations of all twelve terminals.
Now, with all his clones acting in perfect unison—
He finally stepped into the heart of the vault.
Chapter160-Primordial Core Weapon
After stepping through the mithril gate,
Daniel was instantly startled by the scene that unfolded before him.
Before him lay an enormous pool, its vast basin filled with a dark emerald-green liquid.
Though the liquid's hue was deep and ominous, its surface shimmered with an unnatural clarity—so pure it seemed to glow. From the pool drifted an unusual aroma, a strange scent that lingered in the air and tickled the senses in a way that defied explanation.
Daniel furrowed his brow, instinctively leaning forward to peer deeper into the pool.
What he saw made his skin crawl.
Inside the pool floated a grotesque assortment of severed limbs—massive and deformed appendages, haphazardly discarded like unwanted waste. They bobbed slightly in the viscous fluid, some half-submerged, others fully immersed.
Dozens of pipes extended from the pool, connected at varying points along its perimeter, as though the entire system was some kind of horrific circulatory network designed to process or preserve what lay within.
After a few moments of cautious observation, Daniel tore his gaze away and began surveying the chamber around him.
Yet even as he looked away, the disturbing image of the mutilated godly remains in the pool lingered in his mind.
The surrounding walls were lined with shelves, packed densely with glass containers. Each transparent vessel housed exotic materials, many of which Daniel could not even begin to identify.
According to the blueprints Daniel had previously acquired, these were the essential components required to create the so-called Primordial Core Weapon.
Among them, the most valuable were undoubtedly those godly remnants soaking in the green pool—fragments of divine entities, desecrated and repurposed.
After carefully inspecting every corner of the warehouse, Daniel's eyes fell upon a large, circular steam-powered contraption near the entrance.
Without hesitation, he activated his skill: [Eye of Insight].
—
[Primordial Core Weapon]
[Creation of the Artist]
[Required Materials: Extracts A, B, C, D, E...]
[Current Status: Active]
[Trigger Conditions]:
If touched without authorization, it will detonate immediately.
If the City of the Artists comes under external attack and is deemed unable to resist, it will automatically detonate.
If the leader of the Artists sustains a fatal injury, detonation will occur.
[Effects]:
Upon detonation, the weapon unleashes catastrophic damage. It usurps the divine authority of a god, channeling that power through the remnants of a divine corpse, unleashing an attack akin to a god's mightiest strike.
Detonation timing can be configured manually.
—
So this terrifying creation... was the Primordial Core Weapon?
Daniel's expression darkened with severity.
These Artists were truly mad. To keep such a devastating weapon in a constantly armed state?
They clearly had no regard for consequence—or sanity.
If Daniel wanted to take this weapon with him, it wasn't going to be easy.
But perhaps... not impossible either.
A plan began to form in his mind.
With steely resolve, Daniel activated his newly obtained God Rank Skill: [Gift of the Veiled Goddess].
The transformation was instantaneous.
His tall and striking appearance melted away, replaced by a stubby, gnome-like physique—grotesque, even pitiful in stature.
But this was no mere illusion.
Daniel didn't just look like the leader of the Artists—he had become him in every conceivable way.
From his genetics, to his blood composition, even down to his soul signature—every detail was perfectly mimicked.
If the real Artist leader stood face-to-face with him right now, no one—not even the closest council members—would be able to distinguish between the two.
Of course, Daniel knew he couldn't answer every question perfectly if interrogated too deeply.
Still, the transformation's effectiveness was nothing short of godlike.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel placed his hand on the control console.
A clear, high-pitched beep rang out.
The console screen blinked.
Authorization: Verified.
Seeing that he now had full clearance, Daniel immediately initiated a command to extract the Primordial Core Weapon.
But just as he issued the command, something unexpected happened.
The console began initiating a full diagnostic on him.
—
[Genetic Analysis in Progress]
[Blood Composition Analysis in Progress]
[Biological Behavior Evaluation in Progress]
[Mind Power and Soul-State Analysis in Progress]
[Anatomical and Organ Distribution Scan in Progress]
—
Daniel froze. His heart sank.
What kind of lunatic builds such a strict verification system?
Whoever claimed the Artists were nothing but reckless maniacs... was dead wrong.
These weren't lunatics—they were meticulous, paranoid masterminds.
In fact, Daniel now believed these creatures—the Artists—shouldn't even exist in this world.
They were too dangerous.
Too thorough.
As his panic escalated, the final results appeared on the console.
—
[Congratulations, honorable Mr. Charlotte! All diagnostics successfully passed!]
[Proceeding to Phase Two: Notifying all members of the Council and requesting their approval.]
[If no objections are raised by any council member, you will be granted retrieval access to the Primordial Core Weapon.]
—
Daniel's face twisted with displeasure.
This was going to be a problem.
Without wasting another second, he activated [Time Stream], another God Rank Skill.
Reality blurred.
The chamber shimmered, time folding around him.
When Daniel opened his eyes again, he had returned to the moment before he ever attempted the extraction.
Though the attempt had failed, it had yielded critical information.
First, he confirmed that so long as he used [Gift of the Veiled Goddess], he could bypass the initial authentication and access the control system freely—no need for passwords or external keys.
But the second phase—the council approval process—was a much larger obstacle.
Still, Daniel wasn't discouraged.
He believed there were still paths forward.
He sat down and began sorting through his options.
Currently, he had a few possible strategies to resolve the situation:
Option One: Obtain the God Rank Skill [Thief's Glove], ranked 86th on the God Rank Skill Compendium.
This skill would allow Daniel to alter the ownership permissions of any object, no matter how secure.
Even the Primordial Core Weapon wouldn't be immune.
The problem?
Daniel didn't have the necessary materials yet to synthesize the skill.
Option Two: Convince the council members of the Artist race to approve his request.
Admittedly, this sounded absurd.
But with the right setup—decoys, manipulation, and the unparalleled disguise of [Gift of the Veiled Goddess]—it wasn't entirely out of the question.
It would be difficult, time-consuming, and risky... but not impossible.
Option Three: A far more radical approach: destroy the City of the Artists entirely.
If there were no council members left alive to object, then no objections could be filed.
But even Daniel knew this was mostly a fantasy.
He was powerful, yes—but not so powerful that he could eliminate every Artist in the city without anyone noticing.
Not unless... he used poison.
That thought struck him like a lightning bolt.
Yes. Poison.
A slow-acting toxin, distributed subtly across the city's food, water, or air systems.
It might just be possible to eliminate every last council member in one silent, coordinated move.
Then, and only then, would the Primordial Core Weapon be his for the taking.
His mind made up, Daniel began preparing for the next stage.
He activated [Flashback], reappearing beside Charles.
"Daniel?" Charles blinked in surprise.
"You're back again already?"
Daniel's eyes gleamed with cold determination.
"Yes," he replied. "And this time, I've got a plan."