Second Life Ranker

“I did wonder…I didn’t think you would finish it so quickly.” Hades laughed in disbelief. His laughter was the kind that burst out at unexpected luck. The helm that he missed so much was right on front of him: Kynee.

It was the powerful artifact that had helped him kill Kronos during the war with the Titans. It gave him the power to be as silent as death, disappearing like a sandcastle washed away by waves.

『Try it on, my lord.』

Brontes, Steropes, and Arges were bowing with emotional faces. Hades nodded, moving his hand towards Kynee. Black light shot out from his fingertips into the helm as he granted holiness. It was part of the process of binding the artifact to himself.

A bright, black energy spread around the throne that seemed holy.

『Ahh!』

“Finally!”

The three Cyclops brothers trembled from old memories while Yeon-woo read the changes occurring around Kynee with observant eyes. His second pair of eyes opened.

[Divine Draconic Eyes]

[Rank: Power]

[Description: A power from the ancient dragon ‘Kalatus’. Dragons can see many things as they grow, including a truth that humans will never be able to see. As such, they can discover many different types of knowledge.]

[*Observer’s Perspective

The eyes to observe and discover all things. They can quickly gain information about items or people they see. As a result, they can see the flow of imperfections and gaps. The greater the proficiency, the more the eyes see.] 

[*Eyes of the Absolute

Dragons are beings who are ahead of all other species from birth. No being will be the same after meeting their eyes, and they dampen the spirits of their opponents. This will be applied to all skills or powers related to eyes.]

[**Currently connected skills

- Fiery Golden Eyes:

Eyes of the Monkey King. Part of the Great Sage’s power has been borrowed to open Heaven Bracket. 

-Wise Man’s Eyes: Eyes of Vimalacitra. You can access part of the Asura King’s experiences.

-???]

As soon as Divine Draconic Eyes opened for the first time, Yeon-woo realized that he was walking a new path. Draconic Eyes were only used by young dragons, and no adult dragons used them because they learned too many things after a thousand years of existence.

After the ancient dragon Kalatus organized his knowledge, he’d created a new power, and it was passed down to Yeon-woo.

[A hidden being is watching you.]

Yeon-woo thought that the ancient dragon Kalatus, who might be somewhere in the Dragon Temple on the fiftieth floor, had given it to him so he could grow more. There was no way he could use a power without an owner so easily. 

[The skill Effects of ‘Divine Draconic Eyes’ are being applied to view the great artifact ‘Kynee’.]

[Kynee]

[Category: Helm]

[Rank: Great Artifact]

[Description: The artifact of Hades, a god of 〈Olympus〉. It has the same properties as the helm that contributed to the Titanomachia. However, its traits haven’t been unlocked because it hasn’t been granted with holiness.

Holiness is in the process of being granted. 

[**You are authorized to use ‘Kynee’ without permission from its owner Hades. However, if you use your authorization, you may anger Hades, so beware.] 

The Divine Draconic Eyes showed two lines emanating from Kynee. One led to Hades, and the other led to Yeon-woo. It was likely an indication of who had the authorization to use it, and Yeon-woo’s line was clearer only because Kynee hadn’t been granted holiness yet.

If he focused Consciousness on the connection, Kynee would react instantly. And once that happened…‘The Black King’s set will be completed.’

He was tempted. Once he completed the set, he would be closer to the power of death that he desperately wanted, and he would also have one more clue to help him find Jeong-woo. ‘But that will be the end.’

Would he be able to handle the fury of Hades and Dis Pluto? Yeon-woo didn’t think so. Even if they were focused on the war against the Titans and Giants, there wasn’t much that could stop a god’s wrath. He could be stuck in Tartarus without an exit. 

Furthermore, there was no guarantee that he could use the full power of the Black King’s set just because he completed it. ‘When I first gained Grief, the options didn’t unlock right away. There might be another condition for the third piece, the Cast.’

He wanted to take it slowly and steadily. The message that he had completed the quest hadn’t popped up yet, but he had kept his promise to give Kynee to Hades, so the three Cyclops brothers would help him. ‘I can try to unseal the pocket watch first. Kynee can come after that,’

He could contribute to the war and receive Kynee as a reward, but it would be hard to do so with the Apostle Lam still around. He decided to take his time with his decision. After all, the situation could change at any time. It would take more than a couple of days to grant the holiness, and he had time.

[Current progress: 99%]

Hades quietly took his hands off Kynee and let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

While Yeon-woo was giving Kynee to Hades, Kahn, Doyle, Galliard, and Creutz were visiting Dis Pluto under Lam’s guidance. “This is where you’ll stay.”

Unlike Yeon-woo and the others who were helping to create Kynee, they were given combat roles.

‘How cold.’ Kahn clucked his tongue to himself as he followed Lam. Ever since he met her, he’d felt that she disliked them. She was wary of them, as though she was a cat whose territory was being invaded by other cats. ‘But we have to be friendlier for things to be easier in the future.’

However, the time didn’t seem right yet. He could take things slow and make her lower her guard bit by bit. Kahn straightened his back without realizing. For some reason, he felt like he could see Victoria’s narrowed eyes. ‘What, it’s not like I’m in that kind of relationship with the granny anyway. And it’s not like I’m gonna seduce Hades’ Apostle either.’ He made ridiculous excuses to himself and quickly changed the direction of his thoughts. ‘Anyway.’ His eyes glowed as he looked around the base.

“I didn’t know there would be so many players,” Doyle suddenly said with awe. Tartarus was a hidden stage; not many knew of its existence. Moreover, it was extremely hard to reach. He had heard that some people came here because they weren’t satisfied with the Five Mountains of Penances on the twentieth floor. Now that he was seeing things for himself, he was surprised to see that most of the soldiers were players. He even saw rankers who had disappeared from the Tower years ago. It was incredible. ‘It makes sense since this is the place with the most intense fighting in the entire Tower.’

Yeon-woo was an outlier who could grow every day, but most players stopped growing after a certain point. The easiest way to get over this was through battle. There was much to gain in a fight to the death, and so it was understandable why players would come here.

However, because of the frequent clashes with divine beings, the mortality rate of players was probably high. And yet so many of them were here despite the dangers. It was proof of one thing: ‘Being in Tartarus is a huge help to them.’

“Jinx.” Kahn suddenly reached over to pinch him. 

Doyle frowned, wondering what strange thing Kahn was doing now. 

“You said the same thing I was about to say.”

“How can you still be so immature…never mind.” They said that people changed after going through intense experiences, but Kahn only made Doyle sigh.

Kahn grinned and slapped Doyle’s back. “Why are you sighing so much? Let’s smile a little.” Doyle shook his head then grinned. This was probably how Kahn could rescue him without giving up. 

At that moment, there was a commotion from a section of the base, and Kahn and Doyle turned to look. Galliard and Creutz looked as well, and they froze to see a group of soldiers that were horribly injured, as though they’d just been in battle. However, the soldiers’ eyes were as sharp as knives.

“Why is the Elohim here?” The Elohim stood out the most among the Eight Large Clans because of their arrogance and belief that they were superior to everyone. The soldiers who held themselves apart among the soldiers had the same attitude. When players congratulated them, they accepted the compliments as though they deserved it.

“The woman in the front seems to be the head of the Family of Life and the Family of Birth. But she’s in a terrible state.” The group of Elohim was led by a woman with short hair, Paneth. Aether was following her like a dog, the Golden Headband tied around his neck like a leash.

When Yeon-woo left Tartarus to look for materials, Paneth’s party had teamed up with Dis Pluto. They distinguished themselves in battle, undertaking their own expeditions to invade the Titans’ territory, take over their castles, or destroy the cores of the monsters. They had become the core of Dis Pluto, and when the Titans were attacking the holy territory, they had successfully fended them off.

Paneth had looked for their vulnerabilities and managed to corner a Titan who’d been alone.

[A god of 〈Olympus〉, Poseidon, is glad that you have gained the title ‘God Killer’ and gives you a new Factor.]

[Hestia is with him.]

[Demeter is with him.]

[Hera is with him.]

Paneth had the Titan Megaera’s head was on a platter. 

“First Astraeus, and now Megaera…

“And they say that Kynee will be created soon.”

“We might be able to win this war.”

Hades’ subordinates, the lower-level divine beings, were excited. Paneth nodded without much emotion. She’d already heard everything on her way there. Only Aether knew that she was extremely displeased.

She was supposed to have all the honor and glory for defeating Megaera, but someone else had gained the title of God Killer before she did: the Hoarder. He was back. 

She ground her teeth. He was someone she had to meet one day, but it was annoying that he had overshadowed her accomplishment. She tried to compose herself. She had no need to show her hostility now since she’d have to face the Hoarder eventually.

[A message from Poseidon has arrived.]

[Message: As you promised, rip all of them apart. Don’t let any of them live. Not a single one.]

Paneth spoke to Poseidon and the three goddesses who were watching her from somewhere. “Then you must really…!”

[A message from Poseidon has arrived.]

[Message: I swear once again in the name of Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera.]

[A message from Poseidon has arrived.]

[Message: If you fulfill the prophecy, I will take away the suffering of your tribe.]

He had promised to restore the honor of their tribe after their fall. The prophecy she had received before she left the Elohim was happening.