Chapter171-The Conversation
Before all of this, Winterhold Castle had never been considered a major stronghold within human territory.
Its only significance was its proximity to the Abyss, which made it a strategic fortress meant to defend against abyssal threats. That was the sole reason it had been built in the first place.
Because of its remote location—far from the heartlands of the human race—Winterhold Castle had always been neglected.
However, the moment Daniel's fiefdom was designated here, everything changed.
The entire northern frontier, along with Winterhold Castle, immediately became the most desired region among the human population.
Even before the influx of ancient knowledge, Winterhold Castle had already become as important as the capital of humanity.
And now—with the addition of those priceless books from the Artists—it was no exaggeration to say that Winterhold Castle had become the most important city in all of human civilization. Period.
Moreover, under Daniel's deliberate guidance, the northern frontier had been equipped with more Anygates than any other region.
Using these Anygates, Daniel strategically positioned all his [New Life] units at the gates of the Abyss.
In fact, he went even further—constructing Anygates directly on the massive bodies of these [New Life] creatures.
His goal was simple: to be able to instantly deploy these terrifying beings to any location within seconds.
Still, for the civilians living in the northern frontier, seeing those monstrous creatures up close was deeply unsettling.
After all, these were diamond-rank lifeforms—beings so powerful they hadn't even been mentioned in legends.
If this had been any other time, merely catching a glimpse of such a creature would have been enough for someone to boast about it for the rest of their life.
...
Inside Winterhold Castle, the Human Emperor stared at Daniel, his emotions difficult to untangle.
"Daniel," he said slowly, "if I'm not mistaken... you were the one who eliminated the Artists, weren't you?"
Daniel nodded, not bothering to hide anything from the Emperor.
"That's right. I wiped them out."
The Human Emperor's gaze darkened slightly. "So the Primordial Core Weapons... they're all in your possession now?"
"Correct," Daniel replied calmly. "But they're extremely dangerous. The only way to ensure they're not misused... is to keep them with me."
The Human Emperor couldn't help but twitch at that answer.
So this brat isn't even going to entertain a discussion about the weapons.
It was obvious now—Daniel had no intention of relinquishing even the slightest bit of control over the Primordial Core Weapons.
And in that moment, the Human Emperor felt a subtle shift in the balance of power between them.
"...Very well," he finally said. "Then they'll remain with you."
He didn't press the issue any further. Honestly, there wasn't much he could argue.
These weapons were Daniel's spoils of war, and he had acquired them with his own strength.
Who else would be qualified to hold them, if not him?
Perhaps... leaving them in Daniel's hands really was the safest option.
"Daniel, I trust you're a rational man," the Emperor continued, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "But even so, be careful when using the Primordial Core Weapons."
"Their destructive power is... beyond terrifying."
Daniel nodded solemnly, signaling that he understood.
The Human Emperor fell silent and turned to gaze out the window—toward the distant figures of the [New Life].
"Now can you tell me," he asked, "how exactly did you manage to get these things?"
Daniel didn't hesitate. "I stole them from the Artists."
That answer... left the Human Emperor dumbfounded.
Wait, what?!
Did you just say you stole the diamond-rank creatures?
Don't joke around!
These aren't coins or swords—they're massive beings! How the hell do you steal something like that?
And twenty-one of them at once?!
...
After a long conversation, the Human Emperor finally understood the gist of what had happened.
He looked deeply at Daniel, a growing realization forming in his heart.
He could no longer keep up with this young man.
"In any case," he said at last, "this entire crisis was resolved thanks to you. If it weren't for your actions, the Artists would still pose a massive threat."
Through Daniel's account, the Human Emperor finally grasped just how terrifying the Artists truly were.
The Primordial Core Weapon was only the tip of the iceberg.
Had Daniel not acted first, and the Artists had launched a full-scale attack...
The consequences would have been unimaginable.
The Human Emperor didn't intend to keep Daniel's deeds hidden.
Instead, he said with great sincerity:
"All of your accomplishments will be officially recorded in our histories. And I will personally ensure that the entire human race learns of your heroism."
As he said those words, he felt a bit awkward inside.
After all, Daniel had already looted everything valuable from the human vaults.
What more could he offer him in reward?
It seemed like the only thing he had left to give was... the throne.
The Human Emperor was now convinced—he needed to help Daniel reach Tier 20 as quickly as possible, and then abdicate the throne to him.
That was the only proper path forward.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
"Oh, by the way—about the Infinite Divine Temple. I've already issued a public decree."
"From now on, anyone in human territory is free to build Infinite Divine Temples. It's been officially recognized as our national religion."
"This... is our symbol of goodwill. I hope the god behind it will recognize our sincerity."
Hearing this, Daniel felt a flicker of guilt.
What god?
Wasn't the god of the Infinite Divine Temple... himself?
But Daniel's current strength didn't feel very "godly."
Out of habit, he pulled up his interface to check:
[Infinite Divine Temple]
Current Believers: 10 billion
Current EXP Boost: 100x
Next Tier-1 Unlock: Requires 1 trillion believers
To be honest, the Infinite Divine Temple didn't provide that much value to Daniel right now.
A 100x EXP boost sounded great—but Daniel leveled up quickly anyway.
His real bottleneck wasn't experience. It was completing the Star Upgrade Quests.
Still, while the Temple didn't benefit him much directly, it had become immensely valuable to his followers.
Many mortals had converted their faith to the Infinite Divine Temple.
And once they believed, they gained boosts in their skills—and even received entirely new abilities as blessings.
The effects were so profound that they could elevate an awakener to an entirely new power tier.
Across all the lands Daniel controlled, Infinite Divine Temples were being built rapidly.
Awakeners came from far and wide to pray at the altars.
Now, with the Human Emperor's full support, Infinite Divine Temples began appearing throughout every corner of human territory.
And so, in a remarkably short time, Daniel's number of believers surged by the billions—and continued to rise by the second.
Chapter172-Star Upgrade Quest
Thanks to the overwhelming buff effects provided by the Infinite Divine Temple, far surpassing those granted by other Divine Temples, more than half of all human awakeners rushed into the Infinite Divine Temple the moment it opened.
Even those who had previously pledged their faith to other gods found themselves being persuaded by their friends:
"Bro, stop worshiping that so-called Luck Goddess already. So stingy—doesn't seem like a god at all!"
"Watch your mouth! With her blessing, I regenerate 20 HP every second! I'm a loyal follower of the Luck Goddess!"
"Yeah yeah, but do you even know what buff the Infinite Divine Temple gives you? It's a super overpowered skill, man!"
"For real? You serious? Let's go! Take me there right now!"
"Wait, weren't you just bragging about being a devout follower of the Luck Goddess? You switching faith now to Crossbridge?"
"Devout follower of the Luck Goddess? I don't know what you're talking about..."
...
Scenes like this played out across every corner of the human realm.
Many awakeners experienced massive power boosts, and as a result, the strength of the entire human race surged dramatically.
All of it—every ounce of it—was thanks to Daniel.
Awakeners all believed that their talents had undergone a legendary transformation. Eager to test their newfound strength, they poured into the underground labyrinths in droves.
Labyrinths that were once notoriously difficult now seemed dull and underwhelming in the eyes of these powered-up awakeners.
"These nightmare-level labyrinths are really nothing special... I thought they'd be way harder."
"Forget nightmare—our squad just cleared a hell-level labyrinth. It had a bit of a challenge, sure, but it was totally manageable."
"Lord Crossbridge is absolutely insane. Now this is a god worth believing in!"
"I swear, from now on I'll worship no one else but Lord Crossbridge!"
"I can't believe how different the skill mechanics are now. My whole worldview's been shattered!"
...
The buffs from the Infinite Divine Temple provided a transformative boost—almost like a quantum leap—for many awakeners. As a result, huge crowds gathered outside every high-difficulty labyrinth.
And if you wanted to team up with them, the first condition was always the same: you must be a follower of the Infinite Divine Temple.
Before long, followers of other gods began to abandon their old faiths in droves. Everyone was eager to reap the benefits. As for Daniel, the one responsible for all this? Gratitude toward him was deeply felt throughout the community.
Even the so-called "discarded" players—those who had awakened life-type talent skills—were suddenly transformed into cherished members of every team!
Originally thought to be useless, their abilities had now been dramatically buffed to epic levels. Even more shockingly, they had gained summoning-type skills as well.
Some, with a stroke of luck, summoned incredibly powerful creatures—strong enough to solo-clear entire labyrinths.
Even those with weaker summons still had creatures on par with elite monsters of the same level.
And here's the kicker—most regular awakeners couldn't even beat an elite monster at their level!
The faith in the Infinite Divine Temple spread like a virus—not just throughout human society, but across the elven races as well. Even deep within the abyss, more and more beings began to pledge their faith to the Infinite Divine Temple.
...
The Infinite Divine Temple was expanding at breakneck speed.
Awakeners from other races even crossed continents, traveling vast distances just to convert their faith.
In no time, nearly every awakener in the world was flocking to the Infinite Divine Temple.
But as all this unfolded, the man behind it all—Daniel—was off on his own Star Upgrade Quest.
[Bloodsucking Witch]
[Level: 110]
[Rank: Silver]
[Skills: ...]
Daniel didn't even get a chance to check this boss's skill list—his clone had already one-shot it without breaking a sweat!
Thankfully, Daniel had come prepared. Before the fight even started, he'd used the God of Thieves' Dagger to clone the target 20 times.
So taking down this one Silver-rank boss was effectively equivalent to killing 21.
The quest required 500 Silver-rank bosses in total. Including the very first one he had slain—the Fallen Mountain Giant—he now had 499 left.
Factoring in the God of Thieves' Dagger's ability, he'd only need to locate and kill 24 more Silver-rank world bosses.
But there was a problem—according to the records of both the human and elven races, there were only about 20 such bosses in existence.
Even with the cloning ability, he was still short.
In the end, Daniel had to dive deep into the abyss to track down four additional Silver-rank world bosses.
Without the God of Thieves' Dagger, this quest would've been literally impossible.
500 Silver-rank world bosses? The entire world doesn't even have that many!
This quest was downright insane.
What were they expecting him to do? Travel to the other side of the abyss—to some new continent—to find more bosses?
Thank the gods Daniel had a God Rank skill on his side, or this mission would have been impossible in this lifetime.
No wonder so many awakeners were stuck at level 100.
The Star Upgrade Quest at level 100 was absolutely brutal!
As Daniel mused on this, his clones didn't stop their rampage—they kept attacking nonstop.
In just the blink of an eye, that entire batch of Silver-rank bosses had been wiped out.
Grinding these bosses now felt like a chore, lacking any real challenge.
Daniel sighed. As the final wave of Meteor Arrow Rain came down, it marked the end of the Silver-rank world bosses' lives.
...
After a period of intense effort, Daniel was now down to just 16 more Silver-rank bosses.
But with the God of Thieves' Dagger in play, that really meant only one more to go.
From the time Daniel returned from the Artist's City to the northern human frontier, only four hours had passed.
The efficiency of this grind? Absolutely maxed out.
Still, there was a reason why it took even that long.
Not all of these Silver-rank bosses could be one-shot.
At least six of them were what Daniel called "iron turtle" types—extremely high defense, minimal offense, and layered with complex mechanics.
Even for Daniel, sometimes the only option was to wait patiently and look for an opening.
These kinds of delays were what pushed the grind to nearly four hours.
"A bit too time-consuming," Daniel muttered to himself.
But if any other awakener overheard him, they'd probably keel over from rage.
We're talking about Silver-rank world bosses here!
Beings so powerful that even thousands of high-level awakeners working together wouldn't necessarily be able to bring one down.
And here Daniel was—complaining that killing this many in just four hours was slow?
Chapter173-City of the Undead
After four continuous hours of intense combat, Daniel finally realized that he still had some shortcomings in his current combat build. One of the most glaring was the lack of variety in his offensive methods—he still heavily relied on long-range attacks.
The problem was that certain bosses had the ability to become immune to ranged damage. In such cases, Daniel's damage output would drop drastically. He would have no choice but to wait until the immunity wore off before being able to kill them.
Fortunately, he only had one last Silver-rank world boss remaining on his quest.
And that final Silver-rank boss just so happened to reside deep within the abyss—its level reaching an intimidating Level 210.
Based on intelligence Daniel had gathered earlier, in order to break through the racial level cap, one had to kill a Silver-rank world boss that exceeded the current upper limit of their level tier.
This Level 210 target fit the bill perfectly.
In other words, if he managed to take down this boss, it would raise the level cap for the entire human race.
At the same time as he hunted down these world bosses, Daniel was also collecting a large number of boss pet eggs. Of course, "pet egg" was just a catch-all term—some were seeds, others cocoons...
[Silver-rank Pet Egg x200][Nutritional Cultivation Gel x9999][Dense Mainframe Web (Purple) x28888][Heart of the Saintess]
...
Once he had gathered all the necessary components, Daniel would be able to learn a brand-new God Rank Skill: [Cradle of Life].
The Nutritional Cultivation Gel and Dense Mainframe Web could be acquired easily by farming underground labyrinths. Daniel didn't even have to collect those personally—they could be purchased directly from the Multiracial Commerce League.
The real bottlenecks were the Silver-rank pet eggs and the mysterious item called the Heart of the Saintess.
To this day, Daniel still had no idea what the Heart of the Saintess even was.
Or rather—was the "Saintess" just another identity of the Goddess?
Not a single record in human history made any mention of anything remotely related to the Heart of the Saintess.
In the end, Daniel only managed to find a vague entry in one of the Artists' bestiaries, which mentioned the existence of the item.
But that record was speculative at best.
"Forget it," Daniel muttered to himself. "There's no point overthinking something like this. I'll just worry about it when I actually run into the Saintess someday."
With that, he activated the God Rank Skill: [Flashback].
Only, this time, the location he appeared in was quite special.
It was a place known as the Forbidden Zone of Life, and even the abyssal races kept a respectful distance from it.
Within this forbidden zone, it was said that a land of the undead could be found.
The final Silver-rank world boss Daniel sought was located in that very undead land.
Where exactly within the zone, however, was unclear.
To his surprise, this land of the undead had already developed into a full-fledged city.
But this was no ordinary city—it did not belong to the living. It belonged solely to the undead.
After a brief moment of consideration, Daniel used the Gift of the Veiled Goddess to completely conceal his presence and aura. Then he stepped boldly into the city.
He began searching for the whereabouts of the last Silver-rank world boss.
But just then, something caught his attention.
To his astonishment, the city itself contained a Divine Temple.
Yet this Divine Temple was unlike any other—it didn't worship a god.
Instead, it worshipped the City of the Undead itself.
At that moment, a long-lost pop-up interface appeared in front of Daniel's eyes—thanks to the passive effect of the Eye of Insight.
[City of the Undead]Level: 210Rank: SilverRace: StructureHP: ???Skills: Undead Lord...
"So that's how it is," Daniel murmured, narrowing his eyes with a strange look on his face.
He had never imagined that even a structure could be a Silver-rank world boss.
But that wasn't even the most surprising part.
The Eye of Insight gave him another crucial detail: upon defeating the City of the Undead, there was a 0.03% chance of obtaining an item called the [Undead Land Admission Ticket].
Daniel's eyes instantly lit up at the sight of that name.
That item just happened to be one of the rare components he still needed to synthesize his next God Rank Skill.
Looks like luck was finally on his side—he was completing one mission and gaining extra rewards on the side!
He snapped his fingers and summoned the Spirit of Skills.
[Meteor Arrow Rain]!
A barrage of dazzling light streaks bombarded the surface of the massive city wall.
Though the display was impressive, the actual effect was underwhelming—it didn't deal a single point of damage.
As expected, this Silver-rank boss had built-in mechanics—only by following the right process could one deal actual damage.
But what were the mechanics?
While pondering, Daniel suddenly noticed something terrifying.
His attack had awakened the countless undead dwelling within the city.
[Grave Digger][Funeral Bearer][Death Cantor][Undead Archbishop]
...
An overwhelming number of Bronze-rank world bosses began appearing throughout the City of the Undead.
They were everywhere—as far as the eye could see, a sea of undead.
Easily numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
Despite the situation, Daniel remained calm.
He knew very well that these enemies posed no threat to him.
Still, to improve his kill efficiency, he pulled an enchanted scroll from his backpack:
[Holy Enchantment Scroll]
Effect: Increases damage against undead by 50%
Daniel didn't even bother attacking personally—he let the Spirit of Skills handle everything.
Once enchanted, Meteor Arrow Rain became even more devastating.
Streaks of divine light tore through the dark sky, raining death upon the undead below.
In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of undead had fallen before Daniel.
And that wasn't all—they dropped massive quantities of loot.
Daniel also noticed something else: every time he launched an assault, black tentacles sprouted from beneath the city.
From those tentacles, new waves of undead were born.
"Wait a second... can I... can I farm this place infinitely?"
A spark of excitement flashed in Daniel's eyes.
It felt like he had just uncovered the correct method to engage with the City of the Undead.
But before that, he needed to take care of the Undead Lords first.
Thanks to Eye of Insight, the Undead Lords couldn't hide from him.
Daniel didn't even need to lift a finger—his Spirit of Skills automatically locked on and launched precision strikes.
In the blink of an eye, these Undead Lords were annihilated.
In just a few minutes, a large number of Undead Lords had been eliminated.
And the City of the Undead had taken tremendous damage in the process.
Now, the city's HP had dropped to just a single point.
Daniel gently patted the edge of the wall and said softly:
"Don't be scared—I'm not going to kill you just yet."
Then, with a small grin, he pulled out the God of Thieves' Dagger from his inventory.
Chapter174-Rank Up Successful
What happened next could only be described as utterly bizarre.
The colossal City of the Undead was suddenly split into 21 identical clones!
Without hesitation, Daniel executed all 20 of the copies in rapid succession.
At the same time, a black-colored admission ticket materialized in his hand.
Looks like his luck wasn't too bad after all—even after offending the Luck Goddess, he still managed to get the Undead Land Admission Ticket he needed.
With his objectives complete, Daniel turned to the remaining original City of the Undead.
"I know you have consciousness," he said calmly. "Now I'm giving you two choices—either become my servant or be destroyed. You decide."
Upon hearing this "offer," the entire City of the Undead began to tremble violently.
Was this guy serious? Did he just say he was giving it two options?
How was that even a real choice?
What other option was there?
...
Unnoticed, the sun had already set.
Overhead, the blood moon had once again risen into the sky.
But tonight was unlike any other.
On what was supposed to be a pitch-black sky, streams of silver moonlight now flowed gently like water—an ethereal, slow-moving cascade that tore faint rifts through the night.
From those torn seams in the darkness, a golden radiance seeped out.
The blood moon in the sky began to dim.
And then—without warning—it began to shake violently.
Suddenly, countless eyes emerged on the surface of the blood moon.
These eyes had no pupils, their entire whites flooded with an eerie crimson hue.
All of them—thousands upon thousands—turned in unison to gaze down at the world below.
Every race across the land saw this terrifying phenomenon.
The elation from recent strength increases evaporated instantly, replaced by dread.
The Millennial Apocalypse was coming.
Even the celestial bodies—the stars, the moon—had begun to act restlessly.
Beneath their feet, the abyss also began to churn with activity.
The terrifying creatures of the abyss were now clawing madly at the barriers, trying to break free.
But something still held them back. They could only climb so far before an invisible force stopped their ascent.
Faced with such terrifying changes, the Human Emperor was alerted immediately.
At that moment, his expression was more solemn than ever before.
After a moment of contemplation, he slowly raised a finger.
A massive sphere of divine light appeared at its tip, shooting forth and crashing down into the entrance of the abyss.
In the blink of an eye, scores of abyssal creatures were torn to shreds.
But only moments later, another wave of monsters surged up again, relentless as ever.
The Human Emperor sighed, preparing to strike again—
—but just then, a system prompt appeared before him:
[Human Advancement Path — Mission Complete]
[You may now perform the Advancement Ritual to promote the Human Race to a Mid-tier Species.]
[New Level Cap: 250]
[6-Star Adventurer Unlocked]
He froze at first, then smiled in relief.
"This must be Daniel's doing again. Who else could accomplish something so utterly insane?"
Wasting no time, the Human Emperor stepped into an Anygate and teleported directly to Castle Mington.
The Advancement Ritual could only be conducted there.
No sooner had he arrived than a message popped up on his communicator—from Daniel.
But instead of instructions regarding the ritual, Daniel had a completely unrelated request:
He wanted the Emperor to find an awakener with a contract-type talent.
"Contract talent?" The Emperor frowned. "Isn't that one of those useless, bottom-tier skills?"
...
Meanwhile, at the Royal Society, the pinnacle of human scholarship and research, the top minds of the species were working day and night without rest.
The Artists they had captured earlier had already confessed nearly everything they knew.
Only now did the humans truly understand how terrifying this race of Artists had been.
Their research went far beyond "twisted." It was madness incarnate.
They weren't just scholars—they were lunatics, wielding knowledge that could destroy entire worlds.
And of all their horrific projects, only the Primordial Core Weapon had been completed.
The rest—the truly monstrous creations—were still in the experimental stages.
That humanity had remained oblivious to such looming dangers until now was deeply unsettling.
Fortunately, Daniel had intervened, utterly annihilating the Artist race and bringing back massive quantities of their materials and research.
Among these discoveries, one project stood out:
"Crossing the Abyss to Reach Oden Continent"
For all human scholars, this proposal was revolutionary—full of promise and practical application.
If they could actually reach the Oden Continent, perhaps they could secure reinforcements from the humans living there.
If both sides united, the power of humanity would be multiplied manyfold.
And when the Millennial Apocalypse did arrive, the race would finally have a fighting chance.
The reality was that the impending disaster was not just Daniel's burden alone.
All across the realm, awakeners, researchers, and even ordinary civilians were contributing in whatever way they could to secure the future of humankind.
The strange phenomena in the sky had become undeniable.
For most people, the Apocalypse had always been just a legend. After all, who lives for a thousand years to verify such things?
But now, the oppressive atmosphere and bizarre celestial changes had shattered any illusions.
Something terrible was coming—and everyone could feel it.
Still, even in this final hour, the strong among humankind had not given up.
They raced against time, delving deeper into underground labyrinths to further hone their strength.
One elite team, made up of various human kings, had just achieved the impossible:
[Endless Mountains – Hell Mode: Cleared]
They had attempted this dungeon countless times in the past.
Each time, they had failed.
But after converting to the Infinite Divine Temple, their power had surged dramatically.
When they challenged the labyrinth again, they breezed through it with shocking ease.
At that very moment, labyrinth records were shattered across the world.
Countless ancient and unsolved labyrinths were finally being cleared for the first time in history.
Even the most daunting Hell Mode dungeons, once thought unbeatable, were now falling like dominoes.
Simultaneously, many users began sharing tips and techniques through the communications network—specifically about how to better utilize the blessings granted by the Infinite Divine Temple.
From commoners to elite warriors, everyone was doing their part for the same goal.
And the Infinite Divine Temple had become a universal pillar of strength, empowering them all.
Then, at that moment—
every single human being received a universal system prompt:
[Human Race Rank Up Complete – Now Promoted to Mid-tier Species]
[New Level Cap: 250 Unlocked]
Chapter175-The Frustrated Human Emperor
Had the level cap of the human race really been shattered just like that?!
When the humans received the system notification, their expressions all froze in stunned disbelief. It was hard to process.
In a single day, they had gone through more changes than the entire human race had experienced in the past several thousand years.
And all of these sweeping transformations weren't due to the efforts of the Human Emperor—they were thanks to Daniel!
This "chosen one" from the Crossbridge Kingdom had awakened just one day ago, yet his presence had already reshaped the fate of the human race.
Even His Majesty the Human Emperor couldn't compare.
Now, people didn't even wait for official announcements anymore. The moment anything monumental occurred, they immediately assumed:
This must be Daniel's doing.
On the communications network, a new wave of excitement was surging like wildfire.
"Lord Daniel is amazing—he actually unlocked the human race's level cap!"
"I bet Lord Daniel is the one chosen by the gods! Just look at how generous the buffs from the Infinite Divine Temple are compared to other gods!"
"All I have to say is—Daniel is an absolute legend!!"
The Human Emperor had just received Daniel's latest message and was preparing to issue an official announcement when he caught a glimpse of the exploding discussion online.
Reading those comments, the corner of the Emperor's mouth twitched slightly.
So... was there even any need for him to post an announcement anymore?
Apparently now, every major achievement made by the human race would just be credited directly to Daniel?
But... the first half of the Rank-Up Quest had been his doing!
For a brief moment, a trace of bitterness rose in the Human Emperor's heart. But it quickly faded.
After all, Daniel's contributions were clear as day. Without him, the second half of the quest never would have been completed.
Still... it seemed like he no longer needed to pave the way for Daniel.
The Emperor had originally planned to gradually build Daniel's reputation, let him win over the people's hearts, and only after he was universally accepted would he pass on the throne.
But now?
That plan seemed unnecessary.
The people were practically begging to hand the Human Emperor's title over to Daniel.
As for himself... did anyone even remember him anymore?
Just then, the Emperor noticed something that made his face darken further: the communications network was now filled with comparisons between himself and Daniel.
"Who has contributed more to humanity: The Human Emperor or Daniel?"
"Daniel's Rise: 20 Questions You Must Ask About the Human Emperor's Attitude."
"Youthful Human Emperor vs. Daniel: A Power Breakdown."
...
Reading this endless stream of articles and debates, the Human Emperor's face turned as dark as a burnt pot.
"I mean... yes, I agree Daniel's amazing. But are you guys seriously painting me like some washed-up nobody?!"
"I'm still the second-most gifted individual in a thousand years!"
"Don't I deserve any recognition?"
He sighed lightly, but deep down, he had to admit... they weren't entirely wrong.
Even though he had once dominated his generation and was hailed as a peerless prodigy, compared to Daniel, his brilliance really did seem a bit dim.
In truth, these discussions did make sense.
The Emperor let out a long sigh, murmuring to himself:
"Kid, when will you reach Tier 20?"
"The future of the human race... really should be handed over to you."
...
Of course, it wasn't just the human race that had advanced. The elves had also undergone a massive surge in strength.
And this, too, was thanks to the Infinite Divine Temple.
As the collective power of the elven race increased, Daniel's status among them rose as well—reaching an unprecedented height.
Even Alice, the elven saintess, was no longer as popular as Daniel.
To put it simply: Daniel was now the most respected figure in the entire elven race—second only to the Elven Queen herself.
In fact, the Elven Queen was even considering adding a new king to the royal line.
She'd noticed that Alice didn't seem to dislike Daniel... Perhaps there was an opportunity here to strengthen the bond between them?
But the Queen thought even further than that.
Why exactly could this so-called Lord Crossbridge, from the Infinite Divine Temple, provide such extraordinary buffs to his followers?
Was it possible that... his power far surpassed that of all other gods?
That thought alone made the Elven Queen's expression grow solemn like never before.
...
Meanwhile, at the Star Upgrade Hall, a massive crowd of fully-leveled awakeners had gathered.
Their faces were filled with emotion. Their eyes, locked onto the hall, gleamed with a reverence that bordered on religious.
They had waited for this day for what felt like an eternity.
These Tier 20 awakeners were among the elites of the human race.
And yet, they had long been stranded at the pinnacle of their power, unable to break through.
But now, because of Daniel, their dreams had finally become reality.
The 5-star adventurer class was no longer the end—they could now push forward toward 6 stars!
"Thank you, Lord Daniel. If not for you, us old fogeys would have been stuck at a dead end forever."
"Indeed. Daniel is the true hope of our race. I nominate him as Heir to the Human Throne!"
"Heir? Why not go all the way and have His Majesty abdicate right now?!"
"That's right! Under Lord Daniel's leadership, humanity will surely flourish!"
Truthfully, there had never been a hero with such incredible achievements in the entire history of the human race.
That was why, despite their loyalty to the Emperor, even the most established awakeners here were pushing to elevate Daniel—a mere newcomer.
Because his very presence... felt like destiny.
However, after the surge of excitement faded, a shared gloom settled on the crowd.
The human race's tier breakthrough was undoubtedly uplifting—but it also came with a fatal downside:
Time was running out.
The Millennial Apocalypse was already beginning. The human race needed combat power—and needed it now.
No one had the luxury to undertake long, personal Star Upgrade Quests.
"Sigh..."
A collective sigh echoed through the hall as the 5-star awakeners silently grappled with the reality.
But just then, a deafening BOOM erupted from the direction of the Northern Frontier.
BOOM... RUMBLE...!
"What was that?!"
Hundreds of awakeners immediately turned toward the north, their instincts sharp as blades.
With the apocalypse looming so near, every single person was on edge.
And then they saw it.
Suspended in the skies over the northern frontier, a massive city had appeared out of thin air.
Its structure was deep red, as if forged from blood and clay, oozing with a chilling aura.
The moment it emerged, every person who gazed upon it felt an unmistakable presence descend upon the world—
An aura that did not belong to the living.
"Can someone tell me what that thing is?!"
"Why do I feel... this soul-deep fear crawling through my bones?!"
Chapter176-Abyss Mutation
For a 5-star awakener, Detection Spells were nothing special.
However, when they used them on the colossal structure floating above the northern frontier, their jaws nearly dropped in shock.
[City of the Undead]
[Rank: Silver]
[Level: 210]
???
What... what exactly was this thing?
Why was a building categorized as a boss?
These top-tier awakeners had seen their fair share of bizarre creatures. But a city that counted as a world boss? That was something completely new.
And to make things even weirder—this wasn't even an enemy unit. It was flagged as a friendly.
For a moment, everyone wore a dazed, bewildered expression.
But then they all noticed the same thing: the enormous City of the Undead bore the brand of a contract servant.
What did that mean?
It meant that this Level 210 Silver-rank world boss... had been tamed. It had literally become someone's summoned creature.
"Why don't you just stay near Winterhold Castle for now?"
Daniel had chosen a large, empty plot of land near the city and instructed the City of the Undead to rest there.
Strictly speaking, Daniel didn't even possess the kind of innate talent required to enslave monsters.
But that didn't stop him from assigning the City of the Undead to another awakener.
"Lord Daniel, are you... really leaving the City of the Undead under my command?"
"That's right," Daniel said casually. "Do a good job at Winterhold Castle, and there will be plenty of rewards for you."
With a wave of his hand, he tossed out a vague promise—and then, in his capacity as king of the northern human territories, Daniel issued an official announcement:
[System Announcement: The City of the Undead has been established. Awakeners may now enter to grind monsters and strengthen themselves.]
[Requirements and Rules: ...]
The moment the message appeared, the entire northern frontier erupted in excitement.
Level 210 monsters were incredibly rare.
And most high-level underground labyrinths were crawling with deadly threats. Trying to farm XP there came at the risk of certain death.
After all, the higher the labyrinth's level, the greater the danger. One misstep, and even the most powerful adventurer could perish.
But the City of the Undead was different.
The posted requirements and restrictions were very clear—follow the rules, and it would be safe.
Most importantly, the undead within the city would not initiate combat against awakeners. Upon death, they would drop equipment and materials.
In other words, as long as you didn't do anything reckless, your life wasn't at risk.
The City of the Undead was, without exaggeration, a gift from Lord Daniel to the entire human race—a tool to help humanity once again surge in power.
And the best part?
There wasn't just one such city.
There were twenty-one of them.
...
After bringing the City of the Undead to the frontier, Daniel didn't linger.
With a flicker of light, he vanished—and reappeared deep within the abyss.
[Star Upgrade Quest (Special)]
[Objective: Land a hit on a Diamond-rank monster and inflict damage equal to 1% of its maximum HP.]
[Reward: Upgrade talent to EX rank – Infinity]
So far, Daniel had only encountered one Diamond-rank creature—the New Life monsters created by the Artists.
But damaging a New Life entity required deploying the Primordial Core Weapon.
And the Primordial Core Weapon... was simply too dangerous. Its effects rippled across all species and ecosystems.
Using it recklessly could have catastrophic consequences.
Which left Daniel with no real choice—he had to turn to the abyss.
All he needed was for a Diamond-rank creature to stand still and take a small hit. Once he shaved off just 1% of its HP, his EX-rank Star Upgrade Quest would be complete.
With this in mind, Daniel's body shimmered and reappeared at the deepest reaches of the abyss.
This region had already begun developing terrain—there were winding rock tunnels that seemed to stretch endlessly, their destination unknown.
Within those rocky passages, countless abyssal creatures were lying in wait.
These monsters had pitch-black eyes, filled with a hunger for violence and slaughter.
Daniel activated Eye of Insight and scanned the area—his brow furrowed.
He had discovered something alarming: the abyss was undergoing a mutation.
These creatures were no longer passive or dormant. They were gathering, preparing to breach the barrier that separated the abyss from the surface.
Because these monsters lacked sentience or reason, even the Emperor of the Abyss couldn't control them.
Daniel snapped his fingers, summoning a Spirit of Skills.
A hail of starlight rained down—obliterating thousands of abyssal creatures in an instant.
But there were too many of them. And they just kept spawning.
Even killing tens of thousands, even millions, wouldn't make a dent.
Daniel knew this well.
He wasn't trying to exterminate them. He just wanted to clear the path ahead.
Right now, his power was evolving at a pace most people couldn't even imagine.
And it wasn't just his main body—his clones were scattered across the world.
Some were fighting.
Others were conducting theoretical research.
And a few were working tirelessly to promote and expand the Infinite Divine Temple.
Daniel's form shimmered again—and he reappeared in front of the Emperor of the Abyss, Malkar.
Malkar's expression was visibly tense.
"My friend... have you noticed?" he asked cautiously. "The abyss... it's changing."
Daniel nodded. He had just witnessed the insanity taking over the abyssal creatures.
They had no clear purpose or direction—only a frenzied instinct to charge toward the surface.
Many of them were already blocking the main exit tunnels.
"Lord Malkar," Daniel said calmly, "just be direct with me."
"You are as straightforward as ever," Malkar replied, waving his vine-like appendages as he transmitted a message.
"These mindless abyssal creatures are launching a full-scale assault toward the surface."
"But I need you to understand... this is beyond my control. In fact, when they go berserk, even I get attacked."
Malkar naturally assumed Daniel had come to hold him accountable. That's why he rushed to explain the situation.
A misunderstanding at this stage would be disastrous.
The abyss didn't want a war with the surface.
Daniel, however, remained calm.
This kind of situation was well within his expectations.
The arrival of the Millennial Apocalypse was pushing all the hidden monsters out of the shadows.
Even within the human race, there were undoubtedly forces itching to cause trouble.
The abyssal creatures, in many ways, were mindless beasts, driven by instinct alone.
Daniel's understanding of the abyss came largely from the archives of Sarko and the documents left behind by the Artists.
And then, unexpectedly, Malkar made a proposal.
"My friend," he said, "if these mindless abyssal creatures are causing trouble for your people..."
"Then on behalf of the intelligent races of the abyss, I offer to help."
Chapter177-Warlord of Destruction
Daniel sneered inwardly.
He knew all too well that Malkar wasn't offering his help out of goodwill. Rather than calling it an act of aid toward the humans, it was more accurate to say it was a test—a probe.
If the human race wasn't as powerful as Daniel claimed, then the intelligent beings of the abyss would certainly reconsider their plans to launch a full-scale offensive on the surface world. On the other hand, if the humans truly were as strong as Daniel asserted, they wouldn't be struggling to handle a few deranged abyssal monsters.
This "offer of assistance" from Malkar, then, was nothing more than a symbolic gesture—an attempt to appear amicable and distance himself from those frenzied abyssal creatures, clearly drawing the lines of allegiance and responsibility.
Daniel didn't even pause to weigh the suggestion. He simply shook his head and declined it outright.
"A trivial matter," he said flatly. "We don't need the abyss's assistance."
"This is something the human race can take care of on its own."
He then added, almost as an afterthought, "Though... I recall that one of the abyssal warlords had expressed interest in traveling to the surface. If he still wishes to go, I have no objections personally."
Daniel was referring to one particular abyssal warlord—a muscle-bound, brainless brute with a fanatical obsession for war and carnage. A mindless war freak. Since he loved fighting so much, Daniel thought, why not let him go enjoy himself on the surface?
As soon as Daniel spoke, laughter rang out from beyond Malkar's palace—loud, hearty, and utterly unrestrained.
"Hah! Your Majesty Malkar, since King Daniel himself has spoken, let me be the one to go!"
"I want to see for myself whether the humans are truly as powerful as they claim—or if the abyss still reigns supreme. Even if it costs me my life, I have no regrets!"
Daniel glanced at the speaker with a calm and distant look in his eyes. The towering figure who strode into the palace was none other than the [Warlord of Destruction].
He bowed slightly toward Malkar, a gesture of respect that barely concealed his underlying excitement.
In truth, the Warlord of Destruction had already been here once before.
Earlier, he had come to Malkar with a proposal—to take advantage of the ongoing situation and storm the surface himself. Malkar, of course, had refused without hesitation. There was no way he would allow such reckless behavior, especially when the situation between the abyss and the surface world was so delicate.
Frustrated and rejected, the warlord had sulked off, preparing to wait for a better opportunity.
He had barely taken a few steps away when—coincidentally or not—Daniel arrived.
Of course, this was no coincidence. Daniel had planned the timing precisely, orchestrating the scene so that the Warlord of Destruction would return just in time to receive a favorable verdict.
Seeing the warlord barge in again, Malkar was fuming. The vines on his body trembled in agitation.
"This imbecile," he muttered inwardly. "Doesn't even realize he's walking straight into a trap."
This wasn't a war mission—it was a suicide mission!
But what could Malkar do? He couldn't stop him. Not officially, at least.
He sighed heavily, his countless vines drooping in resignation.
"So be it," he said. "Go."
...
Elsewhere, a massive swarm of abyssal creatures surged toward the surface world, driven by some unknown force—or perhaps by the collective will of the abyss itself.
[Abyssal Myriapod]
[Abyssal Centipede]
[Abyssal Vampire]
...
Countless creatures. Hundreds of trillions. A monstrous tide of corruption and destruction.
Even Daniel couldn't calculate the full extent of the oncoming force. It was impossible to quantify. But then again, there was no need.
No matter how many came, the human race would face them.
They had to.
Without hesitation, Daniel teleported deep into the abyss, far below where even faint light could reach.
He arrived in a massive cavern system—a labyrinth of tunnels and vast empty chambers, connected from all directions like the arteries of some massive subterranean beast.
At this depth, no natural light existed. Only a suffocating, oppressive darkness.
But thanks to his [Eye of Insight], Daniel could perceive everything with perfect clarity—his position, the layout of the terrain, even subtle mana flows in the stone itself.
"This should be a good place," Daniel thought to himself.
He reached into his spatial inventory and retrieved a weapon—a weapon of immense power.
The Primordial Core Weapon.
Its function was straightforward: it could destroy part of the [New Life]'s HP, fulfilling the requirements of his Star Upgrade Quest.
But it had another benefit: annihilating a swarm of abyssal monsters in one fell swoop.
The moment he brought it out, a tremor ran through the abyss.
Far away, Emperor Malkar felt an inexplicable sense of dread.
As the sole Emperor of the abyss, he possessed instincts far beyond what mortals could comprehend. His body, covered in thorny vines, trembled violently. He sensed something was wrong—terribly wrong.
Without delay, he grabbed his communicator and reached out to Daniel.
"My friend," he said with urgency, "what exactly are your people planning?"
"There is no blood feud between the abyss and humanity. We do not wish for war. Daniel, I assure you, those rampaging abyssal creatures have nothing to do with us!"
So he's already sensing it...
Daniel smiled slightly. A faint, knowing smile.
"As expected of the abyss's emperor," he thought. "He can feel the looming danger, even without seeing it."
Even though Malkar didn't know what exactly was happening, his instincts warned him of an imminent calamity.
Daniel reappeared in Malkar's palace in the blink of an eye.
Malkar fell silent, deep in thought, perhaps trying to piece everything together.
Daniel's gaze, however, shifted to the Warlord of Destruction.
"You want to fight humans, right?" he asked.
"I want to challenge the strong," the warlord growled. "I want to see with my own eyes what humanity is made of! Are there any powerful beings among them besides you?"
His obsession with war bordered on madness.
If not for Malkar's repeated commands, the Warlord of Destruction might have already tried to kill Daniel, just for the thrill of it.
"In that case," Daniel said slowly, "I can take you to the surface."
He tossed a binding scroll at the warlord's feet.
"But I'll need to restrain you temporarily. After all, taking someone like you through the barriers isn't exactly easy. Do you agree?"
Daniel wasn't about to let this reckless maniac throw away his life for nothing.
He had better plans for him.
The abyssals, after all, might still suspect the truth behind Daniel's claims. Despite his misinformation and intimidation, doubts lingered.
So why not let them test it themselves?
Instead of letting the abyss send scouts or spies, Daniel would deliver one of their own kings—on a silver platter.
And let them watch.
After all, right now, humanity wasn't truly a match for the abyss.
Daniel had confidence in his own strength, but he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could conquer the abyss single-handedly.
Unless...
Unless he used the Primordial Core Weapon.
Malkar remained silent, glancing with subtle anxiety toward the warlord.
The Warlord of Destruction, however, showed no fear. No hesitation. He was born to fight. Even if it meant death.
In a blink, Daniel stored him in his backpack space.
Then, in another flash of movement, he appeared at the edge of the abyss, where the light of the surface could faintly be seen.
With no second thoughts, Daniel released the warlord.
The moment he regained freedom, the Warlord of Destruction was overwhelmed by wonder.
"This is... the surface?"
The air, the light, the sky—everything was foreign and beautiful.
Compared to the filthy, corrupt abyss, this place was paradise.
Chapter178-Warlord of Destruction, Death
For the very first time, the Warlord of Destruction experienced just how beautiful the surface world truly was.
Everywhere he looked, he saw vibrant flowers and heard the melodic songs of birds. The atmosphere exuded a kind of intoxicating tranquility and joy, a serenity utterly alien to the filth and stench of the abyss he came from.
And with that realization came a surge of jealousy.
Why?
Why did the humans get to live in such a paradise, while he and his kind were condemned to exist in the squalor of the abyss?
Aren't we all sentient beings?
Why are the humans privileged with such a world?
What gave them the right to monopolize this beauty?
"Your Majesty Malkar, can you feel this?" the Warlord of Destruction cried out with awe and longing in his voice. "This... this is the surface! This is what the surface really looks like!"
"I'm about to initiate a sensory link. Please, I implore you, do not resist."
Truth be told, Malkar had long been curious about the surface. Though he had ruled the abyss for thousands of years, he had never once set foot beyond its borders.
So he agreed to the link.
But the moment their senses connected, Malkar didn't feel wonder.
He felt horror.
An overwhelming, soul-crushing fear surged from deep within him, as if some ancient instinct had awakened in the face of a primordial predator.
This wasn't beauty. This wasn't paradise.
This was death.
What terrified him most was that there wasn't just one source of that dread—but three.
Three beings exuding such overwhelming auras that even Malkar, sovereign of the abyss, felt his immortal life flicker.
What the hell was this idiot Warlord of Destruction doing?!
Malkar's physical body trembled uncontrollably.
Fragrant air? Birdsongs? Lovely landscape?
Who cared about any of that when faced with an aura strong enough to crush a mountain?
In front of that kind of pressure—diamond-rank pressure—the superficial allure of the surface meant absolutely nothing.
"Warlord of Destruction, you—!"
"Your Majesty Malkar! We must invade the surface immediately! Why should humans be the only ones allowed to enjoy such a place?"
"I believe this land... all of this... should belong to us as well!"
But Malkar gave no reply to his subordinate's fervent message.
His gaze had already turned to Daniel, who stood beside him silently.
Malkar knew Daniel had long suspected him. This whole situation—it was a message. A warning.
Daniel spoke calmly, "Malkar, I've delivered the Warlord of Destruction to the surface."
"Perhaps it won't be long before he finds a worthy opponent."
Daniel's voice was steady, but his meaning sharp as a blade.
He wanted to send a message to the abyss, and this sacrificial offering would serve as a very loud one.
Because Daniel was confident—confident that his creations, the [New Life], could completely subdue the entire abyss.
Even the mighty Emperor of the Abyss, Malkar, would think twice before entertaining any rebellious thoughts.
After all, in the abyss, the strongest creatures were merely gold-rank world bosses.
And between gold-rank and diamond-rank... there was a chasm two ranks wide.
A gap that represented a completely different level of existence.
So even someone like Malkar could not help but feel a deep, instinctual fear.
"I apologize, Daniel," Malkar said, his vine-covered limbs coiling humbly. "I didn't mean to test you intentionally."
He had realized by now that Daniel had seen through him long ago—and wasn't interested in playing games.
After witnessing the immense power of the surface beings, Malkar gave up all thoughts of conquest or even exploration.
"Daniel, I wish to officially express the position of the abyss," he continued. "We hold a deep and abiding respect for humanity. We do not wish to test or provoke you in any way."
...
Meanwhile, on the surface.
The Warlord of Destruction, still enraptured by the natural beauty around him, slowly raised his head as if guided by some unspoken cue from Malkar.
And then he saw them.
Floating above the sky—three figures.
Three terrifying beings.
Three [New Life].
The moment their presence locked onto him, they fully released their aura.
In an instant, the Warlord's mind went blank.
What was this power?!
What kind of monstrous beings were these?!
Even the strongest gold-rank bosses in the abyss had never possessed such oppressive force!
His instincts screamed: These aren't gold-rank.
They must be something beyond that.
Platinum-rank? No... Could it be—diamond-rank?!
Panicked, he cast a Detection spell.
The result made his blood freeze.
[New Life]
[Rank: ???]
What?! Why was the rank "???"
Did this mean... his own power was so low, he couldn't even see their rank?
He wasn't even qualified to know?
And these terrifying monsters... were being controlled by humans?!
Since when had humans become so powerful?!
The Warlord's once-fiery thirst for battle was instantly snuffed out, replaced by an icy dread.
Yes, he was a war maniac. Yes, he reveled in battle and chaos.
But he wasn't suicidal.
He liked war—but that was not the same as volunteering for death.
Even someone like him wouldn't dare challenge Emperor Malkar himself—why would he now charge toward an opponent clearly a hundred times more dangerous?
No. Absolutely not.
There was only one thing in his mind now: run.
Get out. Escape. Get back to the abyss.
The surface was far too dangerous. This wasn't paradise. This was a death trap!
Yet before he could even move—
Dozens of bandages shot out from the void, wrapping tightly around him.
He didn't even have time to struggle.
In the blink of an eye, his entire body was torn to shreds, scattered into countless bloody fragments.
Just like that.
He died.
From beginning to end, Emperor Malkar had witnessed the entire execution.
The entire thing was so swift, so brutal, it was hard to even believe what he had just seen.
A king-class being, destroyed effortlessly.
No resistance. No final cry. No fight.
This was the strength of humanity?
They could not only summon diamond-rank monsters—but tame them?
Apparently, humanity was even more terrifying than Daniel had implied.
Looking back now, Malkar felt like he had been dancing on a razor's edge.
Testing a race this powerful was nothing short of suicidal.
"Warlord of Destruction is dead," Malkar finally said.
"According to abyssal law, since he died on the surface, all that he possessed now belongs to humanity."
Daniel nodded casually.
"Humanity has no real interest in the abyss," he said. "As long as you don't initiate conflict, we won't interfere in abyssal matters."
"But those abyss creatures trying to crawl their way up here... I suggest you clean up your own trash."
Daniel spoke lightly, as if discussing a minor chore.
But to Malkar, every word carried immense weight.
A species that could control diamond-rank monsters had no reason to covet the abyss.
Why would a man with a golden rice bowl in hand want to fight over a beggar's cracked wooden one?
To Daniel's demands, Malkar didn't dare offer a single word of resistance.
In fact, in his heart, he had already elevated the human race to an untouchable status.
A race that had once given birth to a god.
Who could say for sure that there wasn't still a god hiding among them?
"My friend," Malkar said solemnly, "rest assured. I will personally oversee the matter. I promise, those deranged abyssal creatures will never again threaten the surface."
Daniel nodded, then snapped his fingers.
"Tell me," he asked with a small smile, "have you ever seen the sun?"
Chapter179-Power of God
A look of complete confusion spread across Malkar's face.
He had no idea what Daniel's words meant.
But before he could ask, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the deepest part of the abyss.
BOOM!
The explosion was deafening, shaking the very foundations of the abyss.
The shockwave of sound spread rapidly, reaching every dark corner of the infernal realm.
As the Emperor of the Abyss, Malkar possessed a unique authority—he could sense every fluctuation within this vast realm. And at the very moment the explosion occurred, he felt something... divine.
A terrifying, incomprehensible pressure swept through the depths of the abyss.
It was the power of a god.
The very breath of godhood itself was now rampaging through the abyss, tearing everything apart like a divine storm.
Under this apocalyptic onslaught, no abyss creature could escape.
And those already maddened abyss beasts?
They didn't even stand a chance.
They were pulverized instantly—erased from existence.
Not even ashes remained.
For Malkar, who had at least some superficial understanding of the surface world, the concept of the "sun" was not unknown. He had heard of it, read of it, even felt distant echoes of its presence through the abyssal barriers.
But just moments ago... he saw it.
With his own eyes.
For the first time in his life, he saw the sun—and he saw it not in the sky of the surface world, but within the abyss itself.
...
Northern Border of the Human Realm.
The rumbling of the ground drew alarmed gasps from humans across the northern region. The tremors were widespread and unsettling. One by one, people turned toward the direction the quakes had come from—the abyss.
And then they saw it.
In the distant sky, rising over the edge of the abyss, was a blazing sphere of light.
A sun.
It was dazzling—far brighter than the sun they were used to seeing each day.
Among the crowd, a group of refugees who had narrowly escaped the devastation in the southern lands stared at this phenomenon with wide, terror-stricken eyes.
Because they recognized that sun.
It was the same horrifying force that had destroyed their homes not long ago.
Who would have thought that even the abyss—long believed to be untouchable—would be struck by the devastating might of the Primordial Core Weapon?
...
[Abyss]
Elsewhere, Charles had just left Sarko's casino and conjured a teleportation gate.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared on the outer rim of the abyss.
But the moment he arrived, he felt it.
A monstrous power surging from the abyss's deepest depths.
It was so overwhelming, so suffocating, that Charles suddenly felt... insignificant.
The sensation was eerily familiar—it was the same feeling he had when he once stood in the presence of the Luck Goddess.
That sensation could only come from one thing:
Godly power.
Instinctively, he began to pray.
"Oh great Lady Luck, it seems I've encountered a being even more insane than you."
"I am deeply curious though—just where is this man getting all these Primordial Core Weapons?"
"Oh great Lady Luck, the materials we gave to the Artists back then... shouldn't be enough to craft so many weapons of this caliber, right?"
...
The catastrophic wave of divine energy finally began to fade.
And Daniel, as if waiting for the moment, appeared directly at the abyss's deepest point.
From prior experience, he knew that a [New Life] wouldn't be taken down easily.
Even if hit by the full force of a Primordial Core Weapon, the most it would suffer would be a 30% drop in HP.
After that, it would automatically enter a short period of invincibility.
And sure enough, right on cue, a system prompt appeared before his eyes:
[Special Quest: Star Upgrade Quest – Completed.]
Finally.
Daniel let out a long breath of relief and turned his attention to the current condition of the [New Life].
As expected, it had lost about 30% of its HP, but with no further attacks incoming, its health was already beginning to recover on its own.
In just a few minutes, it would return to full.
Feeling reassured, Daniel teleported into the Star Upgrade Hall, placing his hand on the Awakening Stone.
[You have completed Phase Two of the Star Upgrade Quest.]
[Would you like to submit the quest now?]
"Submit."
[Quest Reward: Recipe unlocked – Void Tower.]
Without hesitation, Daniel opened the God Rank Skill Compendium.
[Foundation of the Void Tower]
[Void Tower – Unique Building]
[Construction Requirement: Must be built atop an Infinite Divine Temple]
[Effect: All believers of the Infinite Divine Temple can accept quests and undergo Talent Star Upgrades within the Void Tower. Upon completion of the Star Upgrade Quest, their Talent grade can be upgraded (up to S-rank).]
Reading the detailed description, Daniel's expression turned serious.
This Void Tower was even more powerful than he had expected.
While it didn't directly benefit him all that much... for humanity as a whole, this was revolutionary.
Because under normal circumstances, once a person awakened their Talent, it was permanently fixed.
Very few could improve it through the Star Upgrade Quest, and those few always faced terrifying, often fatal challenges.
Even Daniel, with his monstrous power, had found it exceedingly difficult to complete such quests.
So for ordinary awakeners, attempting a Star Upgrade was essentially suicide.
But now, with the Void Tower, the rules had changed.
Radically.
It was now theoretically possible for all awakeners to reach S-rank Talent.
If this became reality, the strength of humanity would become unimaginable.
To put it into perspective, statistically only one in a million awakeners would awaken with an S-rank Talent naturally.
Even within the abyss, only a few hundred thousand S-rank creatures existed—and that's with the abyss's population vastly outnumbering humanity.
But now... with the Void Tower in place, all that changed.
Everything changed.
Excitement surging through him, Daniel then checked his newly unlocked God Rank Skills following the upgrade:
Shield of ReflectionBook of the FutureEffect of the Lucky OneDivine Sword Art
When his eyes landed on Divine Sword Art, Daniel blinked in surprise.
He immediately sensed something special about it—there was clearly some kind of synergy between this and his existing skill, [Shadow].
Driven by intuition, he opened the skill description.
And sure enough:
[Divine Sword Art: Multiplies the damage of all sword-type skills by 10x.]
"...What?"
Daniel stood frozen.
The effect was so blunt, so brutally simple—it stunned him.
If that description was accurate, then even [Shadow]—already one of his most devastating abilities—would deal ten times its usual damage?
That level of power was... absurd.
[Shadow] was already borderline overpowered. If its damage were multiplied by ten...
Daniel didn't even dare to imagine what that might look like.
But before he could indulge too deeply in his daydream, reality came crashing back down like a bucket of cold water.
Because to unlock Divine Sword Art, he needed...
Another God Rank Skill Scroll.
"A God Rank Skill scroll... to create an even stronger God Rank Skill?"
Daniel could hardly believe it.
Was this some sort of endless nesting-doll trap?
"Forget it..." he muttered. "I can't even craft a single God Rank Skill right now. Divine Sword Art will have to stay a fantasy... for now."
But just then—he remembered.
There was a God Rank Skill... one that he just so happened to need at this very moment.
Chapter180-Simplified God-rank Skill
[God-rank Skill: Grand Resurrection]
[Synthesis Requirements: Blood of God ×10, Soul of Kalthor ×1, Soul Stone, Book of Souls]
Even just reading the description, Daniel couldn't help but rub his chin thoughtfully.
As expected of a God-rank Skill—its effects were utterly unreasonable.
[Effect: Can resurrect all life forms that died within the last 7 days. Resurrection limit: 99+]
[Limitation: Undead creatures, if resurrected, remain undead and cannot return to their original living form.]
Given Daniel's current abilities, he could actually max out most skill effects—meaning that his artifact-enhanced skills often far exceeded the strength of the original God-rank versions.
As for the Blood of God, Daniel already had some.
In fact, he possessed exactly ten drops. And even if that wasn't enough, he could replicate more using the dagger of the God of Thieves.
So at least one of the materials required was already accounted for.
Surprisingly, Daniel also had some leads on the Soul of Kalthor.
He remembered clearly that when he had first acquired the Blood of God, Kalthor had secretly tried to spy on him—though the mist had blocked Kalthor's view.
Kalthor might not be a traditional god; in fact, he might simply be a being with divine lineage. But even so, he would still be a difficult opponent.
Anything associated with a god was inherently dangerous.
And someone with god-blood? Even more so.
Still, Daniel didn't have many other options right now.
He would have to find Kalthor and extract his soul—one way or another.
As for the Soul Stone and the Book of Souls, Daniel had seen them mentioned in the Artists' notes.
The Soul Stone was said to be a rare kind of stone found only in the City of the Undead.
The Book of Souls, on the other hand, was described as a mystical tome that recorded the lifespan of every soul in existence.
Daniel couldn't help but marvel at the depth of the Artists' research. It had long since surpassed the current understanding of the human race.
In the past, these materials had been so obscure that Daniel hadn't even heard of them.
But after reading through the records and bestiaries left behind by the Artists, he now had at least some understanding of them.
Unfortunately, the actual location of the Book of Souls was still a mystery.
However, based on what the Artists had speculated, the book was likely hidden somewhere in the legendary Undead Lands.
Suddenly, Daniel remembered something—a ticket he had once picked up while clearing out the City of the Undead.
That ticket was said to allow entry into the Undead Lands.
But there was a problem: Daniel had no idea how to use it.
He hadn't yet found the entrance to the Undead Lands.
Without that, the ticket was useless.
His top priority, then, was to locate the entrance.
As for the current lack of materials—Daniel had already grown used to it.
After all, this was a God-rank Skill. Given how powerful its effects were, it was only natural that the required materials would be extremely rare and precious.
Compared to other God-rank Skills, though, Grand Resurrection was at least within reach—it had known components and actual leads.
Even if those leads weren't confirmed, they gave Daniel a direction.
For now, he decided to delegate the task of tracking down the required items to his various clones.
Daniel was no longer the same person he had once been. He no longer needed to personally handle everything.
Instead, he could rely on others to help him.
For example, he currently maintained good relations with both the Human Emperor and the Elven Queen.
Among the God Devotees, he also had connections with Charles and Ally.
And even within the abyss, Daniel was acquainted with Malkar, the Emperor of the Abyss.
Beyond that, leaders from many other races also hoped to establish friendly ties with him.
It didn't take a genius to realize that the Infinite Divine Temple was bringing massive benefits to every race it touched.
And so, many tribes and nations were eagerly begging Daniel to build an Infinite Divine Temple on their land.
At that moment, Daniel suddenly remembered a newly acquired Talent Specialization:
[Simplified God-rank Skill]
Its effect was straightforward—it allowed God-rank Skills listed in the God-rank Skill Compendium to be synthesized through simplified recipes.
Of course, simplifying the synthesis process came at a cost—the effects of the skill would be significantly weakened.
Based on Daniel's previous experiments, the simplified versions were noticeably inferior to their original forms.
But Grand Resurrection was already a high-ranking skill to begin with.
Even a simplified version might still fall within the realm of God-rank power.
With that in mind, Daniel made up his mind.
"Let's simplify this skill."
...
About ten minutes later, a familiar notification box appeared before him:
[Simplifying God-rank Skill...]
[Mini Resurrection]
[Synthesis Requirements: Blood of God ×1, Kalthor's Skin, Souls of Any Creatures ×10 million, Undead Material ×10,000]
[Effect: Can resurrect any life form that died within the last 2 days, as long as their level is no higher than 250 (current skill +100 levels). Cooldown time: 10 hours. Target: corpse or soul.]
[Limitation: Undead creatures, if resurrected, remain undead and cannot return to their original living form.]
...
After reading the skill description for Mini Resurrection, Daniel nodded in satisfaction.
Considering how minimal the materials were, this was an absolute bargain for a God-rank Skill.
Sure, the effects were a bit watered down, but they were still extremely useful.
With the continued expansion of the Infinite Divine Temple, more and more races were asking Daniel to construct temples on their territory.
After all, the Millennial Apocalypse was approaching.
The skies were already showing signs of change—any creature that wasn't blind could see it.
And so, for the myriad races of the world, there was only one priority now: increase their strength as quickly as possible.
Because every bit of extra strength could be the difference between life and death.
But with the Apocalypse so close, there was no longer enough time to grind through the underground labyrinths.
For most awakeners of the various races, the Infinite Divine Temple had become their only hope for fast growth.
Whether or not there were traps hidden within the temple no longer mattered.
Even if there were, countless awakeners would still jump in headfirst.
Because when you're staring death in the face, who cares about a hidden pitfall?
In the Apocalypse, it wasn't uncommon for entire races to be wiped out.
So the only way forward—the only real path to survival—was through strength.
And that's why so many tribal leaders were now desperately seeking authorization from Daniel to build an Infinite Divine Temple.
As for the materials Daniel needed?
He wouldn't even have to pay for them himself.
All he needed to do was say the word—and those races would spare no effort to gather everything he asked for.