Endless Extraction in a Game-Like World

A terrifying, crushing pressure descended squarely onto his shoulders. Caelus almost fell to his knees, but he aggressively flared his Aura Density. Immediately, the aura enhanced his leg muscles, locking his stance in place.

Just then, the Aura Manifestation Art that he had learned began to circulate rapidly on its own accord.

[+20 Aura EXP]

[+20 Aura EXP]

[+20 Aura EXP]

[+20 Aura EXP]

[+20 Aura EXP]

[Aura Rank: Tier 5 -> Tier 6]

As his internal power rapidly increased, the external pressure softened slightly.

[Combat Score: ↑ 4.18]

However, it didn’t stop there. The art worked continuously, forcibly pushing his power to a whole new level under the intense stress.

[Aura Rank: ↑ 10 (0/100)]

[Aura: ↑ 35/35]

[Combat Score: ↑ 5.78]

The instant his Aura Rank hit Tier 10, the crushing pressure completely vanished. Suddenly, the fog parted, and two people with hazy, obscured faces appeared in his vision.

[The Ender’s forgotten tale... it is fake. There is no such thing as Enders in this world, Hero Himmel.]

[Who said there aren’t any Enders in this world? I have seen one myself. A lone girl with her eyes covered. That is her.]

[I want to help her.]

[Once we help her, the throne of the Origin Ascension Domain will be mine, as she currently rules over it as its god.]

[You are wrong. This is exactly why we have been stuck on this place for such a long time, never advancing to a higher world!]

[It is all because of your foolishness, Himmel.]

[We will never become Ascenders, nor will the people of our world.]

"What was that?" Caelus frowned.

Hero Himmel and the mention of the Ender’s Forgotten Tale?

He never expected to see something like that in here.

What is the correlation here?

Who and what is Hero Himmel?

Also, a girl with her eyes covered? A chill ran down Caelus’s spine.

Was he talking about the Zither Girl?

[Ding!]

[You only have 5 more minutes to complete the quest.]

[Time: 4 Min 54 Sec]

"WHAT?! It has been that long?" Caelus gritted his teeth as he began climbing once again.

This time, there was not much time.

But at the same time, he had reached Tier 10. He could use his Fighting Spirit abilities!

Such as Holy Ignition!

[Fighting Spirit Trait Activated: Holy Ignition!]

Boom!

A golden holy light erupted from where Caelus stood. His hair gained a tint of gold, and holy lines formed from his hands up to his eyes, turning his irises completely golden.

A golden dragon radiating primordial energy erupted from behind him. As it shot back into his body, Caelus shimmered in holy light and took a step forward.

[Combat Score: ↑ 10.78]

His combat score had increased by 5!

This was astronomical.

This was the combat score of a Bronze rank at that!

The steps became effortless after that.

He climbed the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth stairs, and finally, he stepped onto the tenth stair.

Boom!

The crushing pressure came once again. If it were the previous him, he would have been directly pushed off the stairs. However, Holy Ignition violently surged. His steps became light once more as he completely overpowered the pressure using his surging physical power.

The following moment, the pressure completely vanished, and he arrived in that hazy place with the hazy people.

However, through the thick haze, Caelus could see fire and chaos everywhere.

[See this, Hero Himmel?]

[This is the result of your actions.]

[You sided with that Ender. Look at where that led you.]

[The other Enders and gods came together to eliminate her.]

[She is a throne to them. You sided with her on being the Ender. That is why she got eliminated.]

[Himmel, you should have taken the title as the Ender instead of that foolish girl. If you did, this would have never happened.]

[Our people, they are all dead. You promised us a paradise. Look at where you have brought us to.]

[Hero Himmel, you are a killer.]

[You are a cold leader that brought death to millions.]

[The Ender is dead.]

[You can continue waiting for your lover in this world forever.]

[I am going to meet my friends and family.]

Through the haze, Caelus saw the person speaking to the so-called Himmel take his own life. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Meanwhile, the so-called Himmel stood frozen in his spot.

[Why... Why... Why...]

[Why did this happen.]

[She did nothing wrong.]

[You all are wrong.]

The crazed speeches of Himmel echoed through the place.

Then he paused. He stopped dead in his tracks, then he turned around, directly facing Caelus.

"???" Caelus wore a stunned expression as he looked behind himself, but there was no one there.

This guy was looking right at him.

[You are here, Ender of Origin.]

The hazy figure spoke directly to him.

"..." Caelus’s breath immediately hitched when he heard this.

[Why are you so indifferent to the gods and the other Enders?]

[Do you not care about the world?]

[It is fine... I do not care anymore. Because, in the end, I will kill all the gods, all the Enders, and claim the spot as the god of the Origin Ascension Domain myself.]

[I will devour this world.]

Himmel said this with a crazed smile.

Boom!

A dark power violently erupted from Himmel. It corrupted the world around him and soon devoured everything whole. In the pitch-black space, Himmel’s transforming body was the only thing left.

Soon, a horn grew from his forehead, and his skin turned ash grey. The next moment, Darkspawns began to form rapidly around him.

The Darkspawns gathered around Himmel and bowed with utmost respect, despite their violent nature.

Then, a name appeared in Caelus’s head.

The Hollow King.

That was the name, Himmel took.

Caelus was too stunned to even speak.

The next moment, his vision violently blurred.

[You have completed the Ascension Quest: The Tale Of A Nobody’s Hairpin.]

[Rank: Iron III -> Bronze I]

[You have achieved Class Ascension.]

[Class: Ender -> Ender of Origin]