79 attempts.

297 raid teams from various top guilds tried, failed, and were wiped out.

And a total of 315,850 deaths.

These numbers resulted from numerous failed attempts to climb to the 48th floor in the Tower of Trials.

[Time Limit: 0h: 58m: 33s]

The fading menu display blinked, and the time remaining was getting shorter.

[Howl's Moving Castle: sigh no more challengers]

[Don't Know Anymore: That's because even the large guilds gave up already. To be honest, a lot of people died.]

[The Orange Tree Which Rhymes: The world is getting destroyed in an hour. They're even including the countdown on the news.]

[Feeling It Finally: What should we do on the last day? There's a party going on in Hongdae right now. Maybe I should spend some money?]

[Raccoon: Hahaha, I'm excited about what's gonna come. Not once in my entire life was I able to talk to a woman. So unfortunate.]

[Time Limit: 0h: 58m: 33s]

[Current Viewers Online: 87]

The chat window, which once had millions of users, now had less than 100 people remaining.

That was a matter of course.

This is because so many guilds have already given up after the numerous failures.

Even those who had challenged the tower individually had long disappeared. Humanity was about to end like this without even reaching the next level.

It was just as everyone shared those thoughts that

Woong!

A blue light appeared at the place where humanity had long been cut off from. There was only one reason behind its appearance.

[A challenger has appeared in the realm of 'Red Dragon Deathia' on the 48th floor.]

A man had appeared in the dungeon. His face couldnt be seen as he had used magic to distort his face.

In one hand, he held a long dagger about 30cm in length. He was a player.

Howl's Moving Castle: Ohhhhh!

Climber 123: We still have people challenging it?!

The Orange Tree Which Rhymes: The world is getting destroyed in an hour. They're even including the countdown on the news.

Raccoon: Wow, for real? Is it a challenger coming out in a situation like this?

Front Vision and Blinking in the Back: I am back. Keyboard got confiscated for an hour

The chat window once again became active.

How long has it been since a new challenger appeared? The viewers who had remained without giving up hope burst into cheers at the very end.

[Current Viewers Online: 7,588]

In an instant, the news spread far and wide through social media, and people, who had only been waiting for death, came to join.

Soon, all of the attention turned to the challenger

Raw Cuttlefish Member 1: But who is it? I don't think it's a ranker?

Orange Tree Which Rhymes: I can't see the status window since it's set to private.

Climber 123: This is surely the last person. Is it because they're a newbie trying to act out like a newbie at the last moment?

Orange Tree Which Rhymes: That knife looks good for picking out coconuts. What does it mean when the item he's using looks like a beginner's weapon?

ID Center: Look at the color! Color!

At the words of one viewer, everyones eyes turned towards the dagger. It was a dagger dyed in obsidian.

And at the tip of the handle

It was purple.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown, and purple. Seven colors.

Purple was the highest grade, the highest level relic that could be obtained.

Pound! Pound!

The hearts of those watching this scene began to beat wildly.

Here it was.

The fossils which had rotted over and over again.

---

Drrrr.

At the appearance of the invader, the red dragon roared lightly in its lair.

Its enormous body was at least 30 meters in height.

Just standing in the face of it would make your hairs stand up.

You humans do not know when to give up. Did you come back despite losing so many?

Deathia looked at the intruder to its lair.

Those arrogant eyes, it was as if every other living thing was below it.

Of course, its arrogance was supported by its overwhelming strength.

But

I had to do some preparations to make a grilled lizard. But it still isnt too late, though.

The man met the gaze very calmly.

At the cheeky response, Deathia frowned.

Even if death is equal to humans, do you not know that the pain of every persons death is different from anothers?

Well, lets see if you can make that happen. Stop talking and just try.

Fine. After all, there is no meaning in talking to such puny things.

Deathia clawed the air.

!

The mans body then trembled as a high-ranking body bondage magic was activated.

Such a futile ending.

The dragons raised paw fell towards the mans head, making his body seemingly look smaller under its large shadow.

At that moment, the front paw fell completely.

Thud!

The ground below the dragons paw cracked, causing rocks to rise and bounce around.

But,

Hm?

The familiar feeling that it should have felt below its paw was missing. That feeling of crushed bones and the moistness of human flesh.

A close range attack after body bondage such an obvious pattern.

It was then that the dragon heard the mans voice.

This made no sense.

The spell was still activated you stopped it?

In that brief moment?

Well, I knew what you planned to do with those gestures.

Dont speak nonsense!

Deathia raised itself to its full height. The heat from its body soared high, touching the cave ceiling.

There will be no more coincidences.

Flames began to form inside its opened maw.

Kukuku!

The moisture in the air began to dry up, so much so that even the strongest of humanity might have turned to ashes. It was a power that only dragons possessed.

As expected, Dragon Breath.

The man mumbled.

The reason that all the raids had continued to fail here was due to the challengers not being able to stop this fire.

Kuku!

It was a flame that burned more fiercely than a normal fire. After a few moments, the dragons magic condensed in its mouth and was released

Not even a trace of a humans body would remain/

There is nowhere you can escape.

Deathias Breath would be able to torch the whole dungeon, though the man simply replied,

I have no reason to avoid it.

He hadnt come here to run, nor did he come here to die.

He was here to win.

He was here to survive, go up to the next floor and see the end of this world.

[Read 'Memories of the World']

The man was covered by a dazzling cloud of mist. It was an infinite library of skills.

A library that contained the truth of this world. This was the mans ability.

Take Hellfire and Black Tears.

With those short words.

Wheik!

A fireball about 1m in diameter formed on his left hand.

Drop!

And a black liquid dripped from the tip of his dagger.

Howl's Moving Castle: Hellfire? Am I seeing this right? That's the European ranker's, Maria, exclusive skill!

ID Station: That black liquid dripping from the dagger. That's the skill that the 15th floor Wailing Witch had!

Climber123: oh my. Was there a player that could copy skills?

Raccoon: So what does that mean? Does that mean S class skills could be used when they become known?

Front Vision and Blinking Back: I just thought that, but it looks as we expected.

Military Girl: Oh, my precious time.

Viewers who had connected immediately began to leave.

Right, that was how it was.

Hellfire or Black Tears. Nothing could surpass the dragons Breath.

That was a fact proven through the failures of countless challengers.

You foolish human. Did you believe in those skills and come out to face me?

Deathia clicked its tongue.

Right.

It wouldnt be too difficult now.

So.

Lets Do it.

The skill which is manifested in my left hand.

Destroying Breath

Fusing with the skill that manifested in my right hand.

The resulting fusion would grant a skill of a higher level which would be able to cut through the dragons scales!

The man dropped the Black Tears into the Hellfire.

And at that moment.

[Skill 'Hellfire' (S) and the skill 'Black Tear' (S) are fused.]

The two skills merged into one and began to shine with a black glow.

[Fusion successful.]

You have acquired the 'Void Dragon Etherion's Breath! (SSS)'!

Kwakwakwang!

A black flame that was utterly different from the Red Dragons Breath burned in his hand.

A higher quality of magic.

A completely different heat.

T-that!

Deathia recognized it.

There is no way it wouldnt know what that was. How could it not know?

Etherion was an ancient species of dragon.

And that was the strongest breath that an ancient dragon could use.

Y. you! How can a mere human have that ability!

Deathia stuttered.

Its curiosity was beyond its fear, so it had to ask.

Who the hell are you!? Just who!?

In response to Deathias question, the young man finally replied.

Kang Jin-hyuk.

I was a nearly dead person.

Worn out, exhausted, and eventually drained.

And this isnt my first time killing you.

At the same time, I was the only player who had ever climbed to the top of this tower.