Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 308: Fifth Return to Earth (4)
“Emperor?”
Kim Huiyeon repeated the word, her tone uneasy.
An emperor? That sounded absurdly out of place.
Yet, every player from China bowed at the man’s words.
Countless individuals knelt, pressing their heads to the ground. The players from Korea and Japan looked on, confused and unsettled.
Seeing that they did not follow suit, the emaciated man scoffed.
“As expected, lowly beings cannot recognize His Majesty’s greatness.”
The man cast his gaze around, taking in the desolate ground and the dirtied earth scarred by clearing efforts. His face twisted in distaste.
“This land is unworthy of hosting the Great Emperor! Just wait, you lowly creatures! We shall first prepare a residence for His Majesty before discussing anything further.”
He gestured with his eyes, and the bearers of the palanquin began to make their way up Mount Baekdu with heavy steps.
“What... what is that?”
The one referred to as the Emperor.
The players were in shock, unprepared for such an unexpected turn of events.
And regardless of their reaction, the quest continued.
---
[Special Quest Initiated]
[Players from each nation have gathered at Mount Baekdu. Any players who fail to arrive within a week will face severe penalties.]
[Prepare your shelters and brace for monster attacks over the next week. The main quest will commence afterward.]
[Designate a representative for each nation.]
[During the quest, players from different nations may not harm one another.]
---
“Representative?”
Each country had its own leaders, but this was the first time the quest itself called for an official representative.
“What... do we do about this?”
“Huiyeon, you take it.”
Taesan said indifferently.
“There’s no one else fit for it. I’m not interested.”
After all, Kim Huiyeon had already risen as the leader by resolving the disputes across all regions. There was no one else who could realistically claim the role now.
Perhaps, Taesan could have, but he had no intention to.
“Oh, fine.”
Thus, by the players' choice, Kim Huiyeon became the representative.
In Japan, it was no different. Ichijo Eika was chosen without major dispute.
“Wonder how North Korea’s going to handle it...”
“They’ll manage on their own.”
With their players divided into numerous groups, choosing a single representative would be difficult.
But it wasn’t a pressing matter.
The real issue lay elsewhere.
China.
A staggering number of Chinese players.
Compared to them, the Korean and Japanese players seemed no more than a handful. It was impossible even to estimate their numbers.
And these were the ones they would have to work with on this quest.
Korean and Japanese players tried to approach the Chinese players, to talk and exchange information, hoping to build camaraderie and coordinate their efforts.
However, a problem emerged almost immediately.
“Excuse me?”
“Um... would you mind answering?”
The Chinese players completely ignored the Korean and Japanese players.
They sidestepped direct greetings and evaded interactions as though they didn’t even see them.
Players were taken aback. To clear this quest, collaboration was essential, and dialogue was necessary for cooperation.
But there was no indication that the Chinese players had any intention of working together.
“What’s going on?”
Kim Huiyeon grumbled.
“Are they just planning to fend for themselves? This is way too strange.”
“Hmm.”
Taesan was equally intrigued. The China of his previous life was not like this.
Although many players had survived, their numbers hadn’t been nearly as high, and there had been no one referred to as an Emperor.
In fact, similar to North Korea, they had been divided into factions, warring amongst themselves without a clear leader. Over time, as the quest progressed and more people perished, things gradually stabilized.
But the scene before him now was vastly different.
‘The guy in the palanquin was called the Emperor.’
And the power he emanated.
Taesan chuckled quietly. He had a guess.
One day later, a grand residence was prepared for the Emperor.
The emaciated man summoned them.
“His Majesty requests your presence.”
---
---
“Whoa.”
Lee Taeyeon whistled. The Emperor’s residence, newly erected amidst Mount Baekdu, was nothing short of opulent.
An enormous tent, crafted from luxurious silk spanning the size of a sports field, covered the area. Surrounding it were lavish ornaments of incomprehensible value.
“This... looks like something I’ve seen in a textbook.”
“Right? It’s a statue famous for its beauty in China, and it’s just here....”
Eika muttered absently as she brushed her fingers over the statue.
“What is this? Really?”
In a life-or-death situation where humanity's survival hung in the balance, bringing along an enormous amount of silk and priceless statues was unfathomable.
“Well... shall we go in?”
They still knew next to nothing about China or how its players had survived.
Those summoned by the Emperor included Kim Huiyeon, Eika, Lee Taeyeon, Kang Junhyeok, and Taesan—just the five of them.
The emaciated man droned on about protocols for meeting the Emperor, but they tuned him out.
“It seems like they’re finally showing an interest in interacting with us, judging by the invite,” grumbled Kang Junhyeok. “Not that they’ve ever responded before.”
The fact that he, Taeyeon, and Taesan were invited directly suggested that they had identified them as the strongest among them.
They passed through the entrance and stepped into the tent.
Opposite the entrance was a tall throne.
When Kim Huiyeon’s gaze fell upon the man seated there, her face contorted slightly.
“Dragon robe?”
The man wore the dragon robe of an ancient Emperor.
Looking down from his throne, the man spoke in a languid but resolute tone.
“I am Jinryong, ruler of Earth.”
“What nonsense is this?”
Kang Junhyeok scoffed. Jinryong continued without a flicker of emotion.
“I understand. Insects crawling along the ground cannot fathom the thoughts of birds soaring above them. But I am just.”
Arrogance. His voice held nothing but arrogance.
“You are feeble and fragile.”
Jinryong went on.
“You can only survive under the protection of a great being like myself.”
He looked directly at Kim Huiyeon.
“You, the one chosen as Korea’s representative. How many players does your country have?”
“...Forty thousand.”
“And you, Japan’s representative. How many survivors does your country have?”
“Four hundred thousand.”
Hearing the numbers, Jinryong declared with pride.
“My players in China number one hundred million.”
One hundred million.
An overwhelming number that left the others speechless. Even considering China’s large population, this was an exceptionally high survival rate.
Taesan, too, was quietly surprised. In his previous life, barely a tenth of that number had survived in China.
“Forty thousand and four hundred thousand. Truly insignificant.”
Jinryong’s voice dripped with disdain.
“I know that both of your countries once boasted tens of millions. And you managed to save only so few? Are you truly fit to lead?”
Kim Huiyeon and Eika fell silent at his words.
“You are not fit.”
Jinryong bared his teeth.
The tent began to ripple.
Everyone’s expressions hardened, save Taesan’s.
“You lack the capacity to rule. That is the limit of your kind.”
Jinryong rose from his throne.
“Become my people. Follow my orders, obey my commands. Only then will I save you, as my subjects.”
He spoke with the authority of an emperor.
And in that moment, a powerful surge of energy emanated from Jinryong.
“Agh...”
“Ugh.”
Kim Huiyeon and Eika paled, while Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok were shocked.
‘Hold on.’
Kang Junhyeok had met Amelia, a being with monstrous power. Until now, he had believed no one could match her strength save for Taesan and Taeyeon.
But the power Jinryong displayed now surpassed even hers.
Unapproachable.
It was like the power of an absolute being.
Rumble!
The power surged even stronger. Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok gritted their teeth, but Kim Huiyeon and Eika were beginning to buckle.
Jinryong spoke coolly.
“Accept it. It is the best choice you can make.”
Kim Huiyeon trembled, the sheer oppressive presence overwhelming her.
But she bit down on her lip.
Just as Jinryong prepared to intensify his power at her silence—
“So, that’s all it was?”
A calm murmur cut through the silence.
Jinryong’s eyes wavered for the first time.
Taesan looked at him, calm and unruffled, as if he were simply on a stroll.
‘What?’
Jinryong was taken aback. He hadn’t even noticed Taesan’s presence, despite him standing right there.
Taesan regarded him with a slight smile.
“Interesting.”
“So... you are Taesan. The one who claims to have delved deeper into solo mode than anyone else.”
Jinryong sneered.
“But you’re still human. You can’t reach me.”
Jinryong’s power exploded.
Every ounce of pressure focused on Taesan.
A potent force that bore down as though to crush his very life.
Taesan merely chuckled.
A faint energy radiated from him.
Screech!
“Gah!”
Kim Huiyeon exhaled sharply as the clashing energies shattered Jinryong’s oppressive force.
“You...?”
Jinryong’s eyes flickered
wildly.
Unaware of the situation, Kim Huiyeon and Eika looked on, breathing heavily.
After a brief silence, Jinryong finally spoke.
“My mood is ruined. Leave. I’ll hear your answers later.”
He descended from the throne and made his way outside the tent as if he couldn’t be bothered to continue.
As he left, Taesan called out with a hint of amusement.
“I heard North Korean players went to meet you.”
Split into multiple factions, they had journeyed northward to join with China.
“Where are they now?”
Jinryong left without answering.
Taesan helped the collapsed Kim Huiyeon and Eika to their feet.
“You okay?”
“Ah... yeah...”
Kim Huiyeon said, struggling to stand.
“Thank you, Taesan.”
“Thanks... so much...”
“Hyung.”
Kang Junhyeok’s expression was grim.
“What is that guy?”
“...He’s way too strong. Is he around the 50th floor level?”
Both Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok were shocked. Unlike Kim Huiyeon and Eika, who had only felt the crushing pressure, the two could sense Jinryong’s power more directly, given their experience in solo mode.
“Is there anyone else at that level besides you?”
Jinryong’s power was immense.
Even Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok couldn’t see a way to defeat him.
Taesan dismissed the aura and replied.
“You didn’t notice?”
“Huh?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you didn’t notice, then it’s fine.”
Taesan murmured to himself.
From the moment he met Jinryong, he could feel an intense concentration of power within him.
It wasn’t something that could be acquired simply by delving into the labyrinth.
Nor was it something that came from divine favor, like Amelia’s powers.
Jinryong’s energy was a chaotic mix of various forces, as though they could explode at any moment. It was an inherently unstable power.
And when Taesan used his Essence Perception on Jinryong, he confirmed his suspicion.
[A slave to a beast’s yearning for life.]
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