Chapter 8
Misconception
Demon Manager Andariel.
He was a high-ranking demon and a game master. His role was to conduct the âgameâ for the humans within his designated zone in this Night’s Abyss.
The most crucial skill required of a game master was keen discernment. Therefore, there was no way he could be mistaken.
‘This staff is made from the World Tree. And itâs inscribed with powerful hierarchies. This is undoubtedly a transcendent, high-grade artifact.’
It was something even the Lords of the Abyss would struggle to obtainâa treasure of such supreme rank that it was impossible to acquire, even by trading the souls of hundreds of high-ranking demons.
And yet, such a thing was in the hands of a mere human.
‘What if he’s not just a mere human?’
Consider itâthis was a human who could evade his detection and approach him within his own designated zone.
The fact that this human had stealthily approached him, despite the absolute authority granted to the game master, indicated that the person before him was far from an ordinary human.
The problem was that the Abyss had only just begun its encroachment, and not much time had passed. It was absolutely impossible for anyone to have already acquired such supreme-level equipment and power.
‘…Is he the Apostle of one of the Great Lords of the Abyss?’
The Creators. Even among the Lords of the Abyss, there were different ranks. Among them, only nine were referred to as the âGreat Lordsâ. However, these Lords had little interest in the human world and showed no concern for humanity.
But what if⊠this human had formed an âApostle Contractâ with one of the Great Lords? If that were the case, a Great Lord could easily gift such power and equipment to a human.
Gulp!
Andariel nervously swallowed.
Whether it was an Apostle or a disciple, they were still âhumansâ. Demons generally didnât care who they contracted with.
But…
The Nine Supreme Monarchs were different.
If this human had contracted with one of them, then the person standing before him was someone who had reached a higher level of existence than himself.
‘He’s mistaking me for an Apostle of the Nine Supreme Monarchs.’
Park Chan-woo inwardly smiled. Everything was going according to plan.
The moment Andarielâs gaze fell on the World Tree Staff, his demeanor changed.
The staffâs Eternal Gradeâa treasure of unimaginable valueâwas immediately recognized.
Although Park Chan-woo was only Level -98, Andariel had no way of knowing that. Deliberately approaching Andariel and making his presence known was intended to provoke such a misunderstanding and confusion.
Given the current stage of the Abyss, any human wielding such power and equipment could only be assumed to be an Apostle of the Nine Supreme Monarchs.
‘Following the rules set by the game master will never lead to success.’
To succeed, he had to be a complete outlier. Not just here, but also when facing the Dragon General. Following the predetermined path would only lead to failure. With all the Creators betting on âfailureâ, this Abyss was designed to be hopeless.
Park Chan-woo straightened his posture.
“Iâll take your silence as a yes.”
And in a voice devoid of hesitation, he spoke. His confidence was so overwhelming that Andariel was taken aback.
‘He really must have a backer!’
This was a reaction that no ordinary human could display. He must have witnessed two people die before even entering, yet his eyes didnât waver. Instead, he looked straight into Andariel’s eyes as if to say, âSurely, you’re not thinking of denying me entry?â
Andariel felt his lips go dry.
If this really was an Apostle of the Nine Supreme Monarchs⊠it wouldnât hurt to be on good terms, but he needed to be sure.
“Unfortunately, those who failed to form a ‘Booking Party’ cannot enter ‘The Nightclub’.”
“Take this.”
Ting!
A golden coin flew through the air. Andariel instinctively snatched it out of the air. His eyes widened as he examined the coin.
No matter how much he looked, this was…
‘A tip.’
But not just any tip.
“Th-Thank you, sir.”
…It was a Coin, the exclusive currency of the Creators.
Unbelievable.
There was only one way for a human to obtain a Coinâby bankrupting a Creator. But for a mere human to bankrupt a Creator, or even a Lord, at this stage was literally âimpossibleâ.
Now Andariel was certain.
‘This human must be the Apostle of the Nine Supreme Monarchs!’
He was an existence beyond comparison to ordinary humans. He must have bankrupted a Creator in the First Abyss, gaining the favor of one of the Nine Supreme Monarchs.
But still⊠to think he would actually give a âtipâ to a game master.
Of course, he had introduced himself as the Demon Manager, and this place looked like a nightclub, so it wasnât entirely out of the ordinary to give a tip to a waiter. But it was an audacious act far beyond common sense.
A human, daring to tip a demon.
Nevertheless Andariel couldnât refuse. Every demon coveted these Coins. They were the only currency accepted in the Abyss.
Andariel resumed his role, playing the part.
“I will serve you to the utmost. However…”
Andariel lowered his head slightly, letting his words trail off. Then he cautiously continued,
“You still cannot enter alone. According to the rules, even if a party isn’t formed, at least two people must enter together.”
“Then I just need to choose one of the remaining people?” Park Chan-woo asked.
“Of course, you can choose more if you wish. As I said, I will serve you to the utmost,” Andariel replied, his eyes gleaming.
The fact that the game required at least two people to proceed meant that the game within this place had specific rules.
“Please choose me!”
“I’m confident I can fight well!”
Those who hadn’t yet formed a party desperately stepped forward. They were all people with some flawâwhether physically weak, emaciated, or young. Choosing all of them was one possible option.
‘You should never trust a demon’s words.’
However, Park Chan-woo knew better than to believe everything a demon said. He was well aware that demons rarely spoke the truth, if at all.
“It’s said that it’s better to book with two people than one, three than two, and four than three.”
‘The fewer, the better.’
If thatâs the case, then the opposite must be true. The fewer, the better. Just two would be ideal.
Park Chan-woo raised his hand and pointed to one man.
“âŠ?”
The man, the future Sword King Lee Hyuk-soo, looked at Park Chan-woo with a slightly confused expression.
“I’ll choose that guy.”
“Just one?”
“Yes.”
“…Understood.”
When Andariel replied, his tone was tinged with a slight regret.
Park Chan-woo was confident he had made the right choice.
“I’ve formed the remaining participants into parties at my discretion. Now, let’s begin the entry.”
***
Inside the nightclubâ
Those who had formed their âBooking Partyâ sat down in a room filled with dazzling lights.
âBookingâ was originally slang used in clubs when waiters paired men and women together, but here, it had a different meaning.
“Youâre about to experience a different kind of ‘booking.’ Iâm talking about ‘Death Booking’.”
The atmosphere went completely cold.
Although they had somewhat expected it, the word “death” rang in their ears more clearly than ever.
“Depending on the number of people in your party, you will meet your ‘booking partner’. If you become a ‘maid’, you will engage in combat, but if you wish to ‘pass’, a price must be paid.”
“Wait. Donât tell me that the price is⊔
“Yes! As you might have guessed, it’s the life of one of your party members!”
“InsaneâŠ!”
Peopleâs faces turned ashen.
Now it was clear why Andariel had seemed regretful earlier. If he had added the remaining stragglers to the party, it would have ended in disaster.
“You’re free to use any method you like, but one life must be offered within five minutes. If not, the entire party will be annihilated. After three ‘victories’ or ‘passes’, you’ll be granted the right to leave this nightclub with rewards based on your performance.”
With four members, you could pass three times. But in the end, only one person would survive. With fewer party members, passing wouldnât even be an option.
For Park Chan-woo and Lee Hyuk-soo, this meant that out of the three bookings, they had to win at least two for even one of them to leave this place alive.
“After three rounds, youâre free to continue as you wish. You can engage in more bookings, or simply leave. Oh, is anyone curious about the prizes?”
“Sure, I’m curious.”
When Park Chan-woo replied, Andariel’s eyes gleamed ominously.
“Very well. Let me show you the supreme treasures, each one of them a priceless relic that even I wouldnât dare touch!”
With a flourish, a red curtain was drawn back, revealing a transparent wall.
âThere it is.â
Beyond the wall lay a trove of dazzling treasures. And among them, it was there.
“The Philosopher’s Stone.”
And with the Philosopher’s Stone, all the treasures that could be obtained from the First Nightâs Abyss were there.
Everything Park Chan-woo desired was there.
“Within this nightclub, you can acquire powerful equipment and tools capable of challenging the Twelve Divine Generals who dominate the First Nightâs Abyss. Of course, the higher the grade, the greater the price⊠in ‘booking pointsâ.”
Numbers were displayed beneath each item, ranging from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 10,000.
“Simplified, I see.”
“Indeed. Please enjoy your ‘booking’ to the fullest.”
Andariel replied with a leisurely smile directed at Park Chan-woo.
He might have thought that someone strong enough to bankrupt a Creator in the First Abyss, and chosen by the Nine Supreme Monarchs, would find it easy to win three times.
‘Itâs a misconception.’
But it was a misconception.
It would not be easy at all.
Typically, bookings were arranged between parties of similar strength.
In this âGreat Water Nightclubâ, the âDeath Bookingâ was configured based on the number of party members and their combat capabilities.
Therefore…
‘The stronger you are, the higher your level, and the more party members you have, the more impossible the game becomes, you foolish human.’
Andariel sneered inwardly at Park Chan-woo.
