Supercomputer Ares.

In the virtual reality game Ares, it is an absolute god—and in reality, it is the system that manages Ares as a whole.

And Supercomputer Ares sometimes derives the most accurate answer, and sometimes warns of situations worth worrying about.

Most of what it worries about is similar to what Lee Sejin worries about.

[His people do not need to be human.]

Supercomputer Ares often conveys its intent by floating words like that on the screen.

Lee Sejin nodded slowly.

Sejin swiftly made it impossible to buy forces and territory residents directly from the shop.

But he created countless alternatives.

One of them was the ancient territories, including the growth-type Territory Atlas.

And another plan.

“Bring other races in as citizens.”

Wasn’t that a shocking, incredible story?

Of course, Sejin knew the truth.

It’s far harder than bringing in humans—so hard it’s close to impossible.

So why did Supercomputer Ares voice a concern like that?

“It’s worried about the pulling power user Hyunsoo has.”

User Hyunsoo had a special power that belonged to him alone.

A power so innate it was hard to explain no matter what skill or artifact you tried to pin onto it.

It’s also true that the odds have shot up.

If that map ever unlocked, he would become the pioneer who met them first.

“Put it on the screen.”

At Sejin’s words, a massive circle appeared on the monitor.

This giant circle was Hyunsoo’s situation as Supercomputer Ares saw it.

At the center of the circle—

a small blue dot.

It represented Hyunsoo and Atlas.

Inside the circle, aside from that blue dot, hundreds of red dots were scattered everywhere.

“...There’s a lot you have to endure if you want to wear the crown.”

What those hundreds of red dots were—

people Supercomputer Ares had analyzed as targeting Hyun,

or trying to profit through Hyun, or trying to bring down the Master Blacksmith.

Since Ares oversees every server, it had derived the value.

“Interesting.”

That blue dot representing Hyunsoo had originally been smaller than that.

But once this battle ended, it had grown noticeably.

“He’s gained some of the power he needs to resist.”

With his arms folded, Sejin murmured in admiration.

It was incredible that it had grown that much in just a few days.

And between that single, bitter blue dot and the hundreds of red dots—

there was another dot outside the circle.

That other dot was gray, meaning it was currently favorable to Hyunsoo and could protect him.

Sejin’s eyes wavered as he stared at it.

“This got bigger too?”

Sejin knew who it was.

Kabel.

“Unbelievable speed.”

What Sejin admired was the fact that the gray dot was growing at an explosive pace.

“The synergy between [Villain’s Dagger] and Kabel is incredible.”

It was all thanks to Hyunsoo.

Originally, by the judgment of Sejin and Ares, it would have taken quite some time for Kabel to become Asura Kabel.

But that time had been drastically shortened.

“Show me the analysis table.”

Another table appeared.

This table showed the probability that Hyunsoo could survive the red dots in the early phase.

Before arriving at Atlas.

0%

After awakening much of Atlas.

8%

Now.

[14%.]

The probability had definitely climbed a lot.

But even that was still low.

And the reason it was so low was this.

Atlas’s exact location hasn’t been revealed yet. But once it is, that number really will be the number.

If Atlas’s location was revealed, countless people would come for him.

And the probability that Hyunsoo and Hyun’s Forge survived then: 14%.

Sejin’s mouth tasted bitter.

“The screen...”

Sejin, about to close it, froze.

[Updating.]

Something new was added to the screen.

“A black dot...?”

A blue dot, red dots, a gray dot.

And now a new dot—a black one.

What shocked Sejin was that the black dot was larger and more imposing than anything around it.

To put it precisely, the black dot dwarfed the others.

Sejin’s eyes shook.

A man who didn’t rattle easily was genuinely startled this time.

Because unlike the red dots, that black dot was moving closer to the blue dot—Hyunsoo’s Atlas.

“What does the black dot mean?”

[It is not possible to determine whether it is favorable or hostile.]

In other words, it was something Hyunsoo would have to solve.

At that point, Sejin became curious about the most important thing.

“If it becomes favorable, what happens to the survival probability?”

[It may vary depending on how favorable that existence is.]

It was an ironic answer.

But then—

[If it becomes favorable, that probability cannot be measured.]

“...!?”

Sejin gasped in shock.

Supercomputer Ares was the best high-intelligence AI—and an analyst.

No human could surpass a computer’s analysis, and Supercomputer Ares always derived the optimal value.

And yet it couldn’t measure it?

And Sejin realized his question had been wrong.

The idea of a favorable relationship—and measuring how far that favorable intent goes in the first place—doesn’t even make sense.

And one more thing.

Even if the question itself is wrong, it still might be impossible to measure how much that existence would raise the probability.

Sejin swallowed a rising thrill.

That single, enormous black dot—

because that one dot could change so much, going forward.

And Lee Sejin, of course, already knew what that black dot was.

Kabel.

The second gift he had sent to protect Atlas.

*****

Hyunsoo felt expectation and disappointment at the same time.

Among the spoils he’d gained was the Map to Meet a New Race—the map that had reacted to him.

But in that moment, Hyunsoo’s mood surged.

It’s fine. Even if I don’t know what race it is, and even if it doesn’t even show the route... I learned something new.

That a true world tree existed.

And that true world tree is calling me.

Just knowing that carried tremendous value.

Because it becomes the foundation for crafting something Transcendent after the Twin Dragon Sword.

And he was glad the material wasn’t ore, but wood.

What kind of spear could I make from that? What kind of bow? Or what kind of baby bolts?

One thing was certain: it would display a Transcendent power unlike anything before.

Hyunsoo, having gained everything, looked at his four thousand soldiers.

They were much stronger now—and their eyes, full of faith, were steady.

“Go back, eat, drink, and rest. Let’s enjoy the joy of victory.”

“WAAAAAAAH!”

“Long live the lord!”

“Long live him forever!”

Hyunsoo smiled faintly as he watched the four thousand cheering troops.

And then, shortly after—

“Lord?”

“Isn’t this where we were earlier?”

“We’re going around in circles.”

Hyunsoo had forgotten.

This place was the endless maze.

“Ah... ahh...”

He was lost.

Meanwhile—

someone else.

A handsome man in pure white armor, as if everything around him were a blank white canvas, stood in a forest.

He had an old-fashioned aura.

If Hyunsoo radiated rugged masculinity and a powerful physique, this man had the opposite kind of looks.

His beauty looked as though someone had painted him with a brush.

His name was Bahala.

Holding a melted black sword that contradicted his elegant appearance—Babylon—he scanned the forest.

“...I’m lost.”

It was short and blunt.

It wasn’t that he had a poor sense of direction.

It was just that the route to Atlas, given to him by the informant Kabel, was far too difficult.

I need to meet Master Blacksmith Hyun. Can he really repair it?

The reason he wanted to meet Hyun was connected to the melted sword Babylon—and, by extension, his job quest.

[Job Quest: Sword God’s Path]

Grade: SSS

Restriction: One who walks the Sword God’s Path.

Reward: Unlock the power of the Sword God.

Penalty on failure: Cannot become the Sword God’s descendant.

Description: One who will become the Sword God must build achievements that are not ordinary and become the model for all who wield the sword.

This will be one step of that process, and it resembles the traces left behind by the previous Sword God. Eliminate the lesser demon Luxiu and save the continent.

Shockingly, Bahala was an ordinary knight class.

Even so, the reason he had refused countless offers—hidden classes, legendary classes, and more—

was because he had learned the Sword God’s Path existed, and he had run himself insane for four years for it.

Yes. Four years.

And the Sword God’s Path wasn’t easy.

It keeps demanding achievements that are just absurd.

His level was already 485.

The achievements he’d accomplished in the process were what built Bahala’s fame today.

But the quest didn’t simply hand over the Sword God’s Path—it only gave him pieces, little by little.

Is that how singular it is? A class that’s truly unrivaled—and unique?

Bahala smiled bitterly.

And he placed his # Nоvеlight # hopes on this.

To kill Luxiu, I absolutely need Babylon.

Lesser demon Luxiu.

When Bahala had faced it, three months ago, he’d been forced to log out in just five minutes.

And unlike ordinary demons, lesser demon Luxiu wasn’t limited by demonic energy on the surface.

Meaning: it didn’t weaken.

In truth, compared to a greater demon, a lesser demon was contemptibly weak.

But a lesser demon that didn’t weaken on the surface was insane.

Its level was in the 590s.

Still, he found a method.

The legendary sword. Babylon.

He searched for information on the sword said to cut demons, and finally obtained it.

This sword possessed Transcendent power.

And a special power the sword carried—

Extinguish Evil.

Rumor said this power instantly erased 70% of a demon’s HP.

Unconditionally.

This is the only way to kill Luxiu.

Of course, it was possible another method might exist later.

But that would be after more time passed—and in the meantime, Luxiu could grow even stronger.

If that happened, there would be no unlocking the Sword God’s power by killing Luxiu.

And after a certain amount of time, the quest would end on its own.

That was why Bahala immediately crossed the continent.

And as he wandered, thinking about Hyun, days slipped by.

Then monsters spotted him and started to rush in—only to flinch and stop.

[Sword God’s Dignity]

“KHAAAAAH!”

Just the aura he leaked made the monsters flee.

It was a power he had obtained by stacking achievements.

To monsters, it planted fear and made them run.

And to users and NPCs, it wrapped them in an outrageous oppressive pressure.

It was on the level of Sword King’s killing intent—Spear Heaven’s wrath.

No—maybe it was even one step higher.

In any case, with Sword God’s Dignity left on, he wandered for days.

And naturally, he thought of Hyun.

He’s become too well-known. It’s unfortunate. A legend. Sure, it’s impressive. But “legend” alone isn’t enough to protect that seat.

When he’d handed over the #1 spot last year, he hadn’t felt a shred of tension or regret.

He thought it was only temporary.

He might destroy himself.

Not because Hyun lacked ability.

But because a user in the mid-350s had grown too fast, too early.

Then—

Bahala’s eyes widened as he sensed a presence.

Because a man emerged through the brush—someone whose entire palette was black and white, in stark contrast to him.

But what startled him even more was something else.

A force of four thousand troops, upon seeing him, were aiming weapons to protect him.

And Bahala faltered.

His first shock—

I didn’t turn Sword God’s Dignity off?

He was in a position where he needed to request work from Master Blacksmith Hyun.

He’d thought this power would distort everything, forcing submission without him even trying.

However—

[Sword God’s Dignity does not work.]

[Sword God’s Dignity scatters and disappears in the aura flowing from him.]

[Instead, a massive aura suppresses you.]

[You are afflicted with the Confusion status ailment.]

Instead, the power flowing from Hyun pressed down on him.

Because in that instant, he was shocked by the Hyun he saw.

Four thousand troops.

Hyun’s dramatically grown presence.

And lastly—Bahala knew.

He’s in a place higher than legend?

That was his second shock.

His belief that he would naturally reclaim #1 this year shattered in an instant.

Even if I become the Sword God...

The #1 seat would never stop shaking.

*****

Hyunsoo, heading toward Atlas after finally escaping the endless maze, was thrown off.

Because he came face-to-face with a man.

And he couldn’t see the man’s information.

A power that hides info?

And as he looked at him, Hyunsoo was startled again.

[You are a Master Blacksmith, one of the Continental Top Ten Legends, and a descendant-class of the blacksmith god.]

Because he was the only Master Blacksmith—and a descendant of the god—Hyunsoo was reacting to one thing in particular.

To the melted sword the man was holding.

[Divine ore is detected.]