Chapter 653

[A majority of the information regarding the artifact has been changed.]

[The artifact has significantly changed according to the newly-edited information. Please read the description for more information.]

Regarding how common it was for the descriptions of artifacts to change, the descriptions didn’t usually change unless the artifact was strengthened or the user went through additional training. It was rare for the description to change, because the information was firmly embedded in the system. 

Yeon-woo couldn’t help but be surprised as a result of this modification, because he hadn’t really done anything out of the ordinary to the Cast of the Black King. It seemed it had changed because the Black King had sensed him…but Yeon-woo had no idea what the newly-edited information would be. 

‘Just how much of it changed?’ Yeon-woo quickly scanned through the information window. 

[Cast of the Black King]

[Category: Set]

[Rank: Unmeasurable]

[Description: The〈Great Father〉, the king and god of the supernatural beings who ruled over the civilizations and planets in all universes since the beginning of time, came to a realization one day. ‘I am asleep.’ The Great Father continued to think, ‘There are beings who put me to sleep.’

The Great Father trembled in fury from the ??? who betrayed him, and he began to resent the Heavenly Demon for putting him in this pathetic state. Despair, grief, and fury are the emotions that now move the Great Father, who is preparing to awaken. The Casts that he sent to his successors are all holy artifacts that symbolize him—the manacles his soul, the fetters his death, and the pillory his darkness.]

[*Soul Dominator

All souls that the user killed or died as a result of the user will be branded. The branded souls will be recognized as the user’s possessions, and the user has authority over them. The souls cannot be free until the brand disappears, and even if the souls go through reincarnation, the user’s influence will remain. Depending on the proficiency of the user, the amount of branded souls the user can possess will increase. At times, the user will be able to restore some of the souls’ strength from when they were alive and give them free will. 

[*Blackening

An enhanced form of Black Hexagram. The bound souls can be used to transform magic power into properties of darkness. Darkness is a more fundamental property than blackness, and this was only able to be seen before the beginning of time. 

The user’s affinity with the properties will increase with the number of souls the user uses. The magic power that is transformed during this time will buff allies and plant fear and horror into enemies. Then, a randomly chosen curse will enforce a great tragedy upon the enemies.]

[*Void Operation

A part of the void that belongs to the world’s backend can be summoned to the current world. However, this emptiness that is filled with disorder and chaos can swallow its user, so the user must use it with care.]

[** This is a unique artifact. No other artifact like this exists in the Tower, and it will be bound to its owner. It cannot be transferred or traded between players.

** Some of the abilities are sealed. You must meet the qualifications or conditions in order to lift the seals.

** Some information cannot be accessed. You must meet the qualifications or conditions in order to view the information.]

[**Currently collected: 3 of 3

-Despair: You can dominate souls that are in despair.

-Grief: You can defy deaths filled with grief.

-Fury: You can control darkness shaken by fury.]

[***Currently connected artifacts: 2 of 2

-Pocket watch: Connects to the spring of time that belonged to Kronos, an old apostle. Moves the “small wheel.”

-Vigrid: Connects to the spring of death that belonged to Kronos, an old apostle. Strengthens influence over the concept of death.]

‘Everything has changed to first person…to the Black King’s viewpoint.’ Aside from the significantly different information, the descriptions that had all been in third person were now directly stating the Great Father’s emotions. Yeon-woo continued to think, ‘That’s what the otherworld gods called the Black King.’

Yeon-woo then wondered if the ???s who betrayed the Black King were the otherworld gods, but that didn’t make sense. ‘I still don’t know why the gods and demons of death reject the otherworld gods, who are also followers of the Black King.’

With the birth of the Heavenly Demon, the world was divided into order and disorder, as well as balance and chaos. Yeon-woo assumed there had been a division among the Black King’s followers during this time as well, but it was only an assumption. He wasn’t certain of anything. It was why he didn’t think the ???s were the otherworld gods or the gods and demons of death. It could be a third party who wasn’t revealed yet, or some conceptual gods and elder gods who hadn’t shown themselves. 

Yeon-woo was only certain that, if the Black King awoke and the world met its end, all these beings would be affected by it. From what Yeon-woo had seen until now, the Black King wasn’t someone to forget about a grudge. Although he was made up of only a concept, at his center was a blazing heap of emotions, just like the names of the three Casts. 

‘This is probably evidence that the Black King is finally waking from his deep slumber and having consciousness.’ Yeon-woo thought about how the information about the Casts was enhanced, and how other things were omitted or combined. For example, the disappeared First Spirit and Summon of the Soul options had likely been combined into the Soul Dominator option. Aside from that, the rank, which had been marked with question marks before, was now shown as “unmeasurable.” The quality of the souls he could take was now different as well. Before, he had to use a large number of souls to promote them to a “spirit” status, but there was no need to do that anymore. 

‘I don’t know what the Sea of Time did, but it’s now guaranteed that the Black King is slowly opening his eyes.’ After Allforone was killed and the Tower was crushed, Yeon-woo knew that the Black King would fully awaken. With those thoughts in mind, Yeon-woo arrived at the next location. 

[You have arrived at the ‘Fountain of Resentment!’]

* * *

[‘x adamant’ has arrived from player ###!]

“…it’s really here?” Smoke from Anastasia’s pipe floated up in the air within a dark world. The child servants she always moved with were absent. Upon seeing the message pop up in front of her, she widened her eyes. With a brilliant glare of light, adamant appeared on the floor in front of her. There was so much of it that it was stacked taller than her. 

Anastasia knew how precious adamant was and handled it carefully, so she was quite surprised by the amount. Adamant was a mineral that was rare throughout the entire universe…so she wasn’t sure if even By the Table could obtain this much. 

She laughed in disbelief. The time she had spent the last hundreds of years sweating and searching to create adamantine nova felt futile, and she thought how such an act was fitting of Kronos’ son. She knew Kronos’ abilities well, having lived as Rhea’s servant in Olympus, so in a way, it was only natural. Kronos’ blood didn’t go anywhere. And she had once suffered from Yeon-woo too. 

‘But…’ Anastasia frowned. ‘When are these messages going to stop?’

[‘x black ore’ has arrived!]

[‘x elrer moscovium’ has arrived!]

[‘x platinum dite’ has arrived!]

…

[‘x valeria steel’ has arrived!]

…

Anastasia wondered just where Yeon-woo had found all these minerals. The minerals that followed after adamant were all some of the rarest materials, and they were all of the highest quality. She truly thought that he had raided some storehouse or something… 

‘I shouldn’t think too deeply about it.’ The more Anastasia thought about it, the greater her headache would become. She’d get nothing out of it anyway, so she decided to set her curiosities aside. 

“Who did he threaten this time to get this much?” Henova, who was sitting opposite of Anastasia, looked astounded. However, he didn’t say much and just stood up with his hammer. 

Before Yeon-woo began his subjugation of the seventy-seventh floor, he’d contacted Anastasia and Henova to prepare things for the creation of Scythe. 

Henova didn’t seem pleased that Yeon-woo had been impossible to contact for two years and the first thing he did after showing up was give him orders, but he grumbled and heeded Yeon-woo’s request. His eyes were blazing with passion… Helping Yeon-woo and Cha Jeong-woo was one thing, but he was happy that he could challenge himself again after making Kynee and the Philosopher’s stone. 

“Scythe, Scythe! I never imagined I’d be able to create the very weapon that the king of the gods used before the Tower was built!” Just then, a muscled man who was sitting next to Henova gasped in excitement and clenched his fists. He was Maf, another one of the four great blacksmiths who had the title of “master blacksmith.” He rarely showed himself, but after hearing the news from Henova, he had frantically come over. He seemed overjoyed that he’d be able to create a holy artifact with his own hands. 

“Master, what should I do?” Victoria stiffly looked at Anastasia. The most important thing that came down to making Scythe was how much good adamantine nova they could make. She was beyond nervous, and the three Cyclops brothers next to her also nodded. 

All the master blacksmiths excluding Brahm and Yeon-woo and the greatest blacksmiths of the heavenly world were gathered here. Anastasia, who was appointed leader, began to speak. “As I said before, Scythe isn’t an item that can be created simply by smelting. It’s like a machine that can only be made with the accurate assembly of each mineral and material. No one has any room for mistakes.”

Anastasia was the only one who had seen Scythe being created, so she repeatedly urged them to be careful. 

Most thought Scythe was a holy artifact that symbolized the king of gods, Kronos, but that was only part of the truth. To be more precise, Scythe was like a “creature” which far exceeded that. It was a gift the gods of Olympus had personally created to sing the praises of the king of gods and express their absolute loyalty… All the holy artifacts and treasures Olympus had secured were gathered as one, connected to amplify each other’s effects. It was finally completed after condensing all the items multiple times, becoming the greatest tool with the most holy power any weapon ever had. 

Although Scythe didn’t have any ego, its divinity was already that of a greater god. Thus, Zeus and his brothers had been afraid of Scythe and had scattered its broken parts throughout the universe after it didn’t accept its new owner.

Since the blacksmiths were now trying to create a weapon that exceeded Scythe, they couldn’t help but feel nervous. At the same time, they were excited to be the creators of such a brilliant achievement. 

“Then let us begin!” With Anastasia’s shout, everyone moved to their positions and began their jobs. Each of their parts would become holy artifacts with Yeon-woo’s holiness, and it would be centered around Vigrid to finally create Scythe. If there was any problem on their part, the creation of Scythe would be done for. It was unacceptable to their honor and pride. 

Fwoosh! Yeon-woo’s holy territory, where the blacksmiths were located, blazed with even more heat than ever.