Chapter 241  

The violet and blue fragments came together, emitting a radiant glow.

"What in the world is...?" Lee Shin muttered.

Lee Shin had obtained this chaos fragment of Chaos after capturing Abaim Monstre—a beast that could use chaos. Lee Shin had always thought this fragment would be useful someday, but he hadn’t anticipated this.

"Hmm… you don’t seem to have enough fragments of Divine Status,” muttered Chaos, seemingly disappointed.

Lee Shin only had two fragments of Divine Status, obtained on the third floor and the eighteenth floor. However, based on Chaos's remarks, it seemed that he had hidden more fragments on other stages, and Lee Shin had failed to locate them.

"Don't worry. These fragments are just a source of energy to supplement your divinity class. Since you already have a high divinity class, it doesn’t matter," Chaos said.

Kugugugugugu...!

Suddenly, a powerful vibration resonated, and energy gathered into the radiant glow of the fragments. Lee Shin tried to analyze this phenomenon with his mana, but the ever-changing power of chaos proved incomprehensible within such a short period.

"Keugh...!" Lee Shin groaned.

The once faint radiance suddenly grew and disappeared like a flashbang. When Lee Shin squinted, all he could see was a small, dark purplish bead. He touched the bead, radiating a familiar yet mysterious energy, luring him in.

The bead looked like a beautiful jewel, but it also gave off a sense of danger. When Lee Shin sent his mana into the bead to investigate, he could sense the indescribable power inside.

"Can you feel it?" Perhaps he had read the look in Lee Shin's eyes, Chaos asked with a smirk.

"What even is this…” Lee Shin muttered, feeling the power within the bead.

"This is a bead that contains my power. Fortunately, you’ve collected the fragments of Chaos and the fragments of Divine Status," Chaos explained to Lee Shin.

"So, you arranged these for me?" Lee Shin asked, trying to confirm.

"Yes, that’s right," Chaos replied.

"But these were hidden on a higher floor, not the first floor," Lee Shin said, seemingly still confused.

"Hahaha! Didn't I tell you already? Destiny can be controlled. The stages created by the gods are actually worlds used to exist in a different dimension. I knew they would become stages, so I preemptively hid the fragments in them," Chaos explained.

"You did that before you even discovered the tower?" Lee Shin asked again.

"No, it was after discovering the Tower. When I decided to groom a successor, I began distributing my power," Chaos replied.

"Weren't you afraid of the gods?" Lee Shin asked.

"I ordered my followers to help me, so it was no big deal," Chaos replied.

Lee Shin found it hard to believe that there was a faction loyal to this mad god. Then again, cults were a thing, so it wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility. Lee Shin wondered how Chaos could think that way despite experiencing the relentless chase of the gods of Astira.

"Did you devour the gods just to increase your power?" Lee Shin asked, trying to find the Chaos’ real intention.

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Chaos asked back.

"Just answer. It might determine whether I spare your life," Lee Shin replied with a slightly irritated voice.

Chaos rolled his bloodshot, blood-drenched eyes and locked gazes with Lee Shin. He abruptly smirked.

"Well, of course, it's also because the gods didn't sit well with me. Manipulating everything as they pleased—I despised their arrogance," Chaos replied, explaining his side of the story.

Chaos’ reason was somewhat similar to what Lee Shin had suspected. He also detested their arrogance, but was Chaos, a god, really different from them? Even if he would bestow all his power to Lee Shin, was it right to release him from his seal? Lee Shin still was not entirely sure.

- Do as you wish.

“Would that really be okay?" Lee Shin asked Gene Ebrium, seeking confirmation.

- Yes. It's your destiny. Besides, didn't he say that destiny and inevitability are predetermined? So, unless you can change destiny, it will ultimately flow as it should. Or if you do have the power to change destiny, it will be determined by your choices.

Lee Shin agreed with Gene, recognizing that his hesitation would make no difference. He had always followed the path he believed to be right. Even if he ended up making a mistake, he could always right his wrongs.

Lee Shin tightly clenched the small bead in his hand.

"So, what must I do to get your power?” Lee Shin asked Chaos.

"That’s a wise decision. Swallow that bead. Then my power will flow into you," Chaos explained with a chuckle.

"How can I trust you?" Lee Shin asked.

"Kuh, don't you feel it too? That bead is the essence of chaos," Chaos said.

Lee Shin could indeed vaguely feel the power. This bead was the essence of chaos, and he could sense the immense power within. His last question was merely to solidify his conviction.

Gulp—

Lee Shin quickly swallowed the bead. The bead slowly diffused as it went down his throat, rotating down in his esophagus.

『The 『Stat - Chaos』 has disappeared.]

[You have acquired a 『Unique Ability - Chaos』]

"Huh? I acquired a Unique Ability?" Lee Shin muttered, surprised by what he had gained.

[Chaos]You can use the power of chaos.

# You can take away anything you desire.

"Hmm… Take away anything I desire?"

"Haha. Yes, that's right. Now you can have anything you desire. For instance… you could even take my body right now if you wish." Chaos chuckled again.

"I don't need your body," Lee Shin replied coldly.

"You might, as only my mind and body can endure the power of chaos. It might just devour you and disappear," Chaos said.

"Are you telling me to live in that form?" Lee Shin asked.

"No, that's not it. Just absorb this body, and then the power will be yours," Chaos replied.

Lee Shin briefly tapped into the power of chaos, and a violet aura emerged.

[Chaos is putting immense strain on you.]

[Chaos is beginning to interfere with your mind.]

He couldn’t describe this unsettling sensation that made him feel like he could be corrupted just by looking at it. For now, he could endure it, but the restless power writhing inside him constantly demanded more.

"Did you deceive me?" Lee Shin asked Chaos.

"Well, not exactly. Didn't I tell you already? If you release me, I'll give you everything I have. So, just get me out of this tedious restraint. Then you won't feel such pain either," Chaos explained.

"All right," Lee Shin replied.

Lee Shin was indeed being bothered by chaos, but he could still control it to some extent. The real issue was the gods who kept messaging Lee Shin, seemingly waiting for this very moment.

[The God of Destruction has opened the gate.]

It felt like he was trying to leave a message saying, “I'm going to Earth now. You'd better hurry." From this message, Lee Shin could sense the urgency of this particular God.

‘Was this what he wanted, the power of chaos?’

Lee Shin finally understood God of Destruction’s intentions. Everything that happened on the twentieth floor and why the God of Destruction had helped him afterward made sense. However, Chaos was his Unique Ability now, and there was no way for the God of Destruction to take that power from him, even if he were to kill Lee Shin.

‘Wait a second…’

Suddenly, a single memory flashed through his mind. When he had met Alice on the sixteenth floor, Lee Shin doubted she had the “Eyes of the Wise Man,” as someone else had the power in his past life. That person could also use multiple Unique Abilities by taking them from their owners.

Crunch—!

Lee Shin unknowingly gritted his teeth. He really had no time. Alice was on Earth, so the God of Destruction was undoubtedly heading there to threaten Lee Shin. Besides, if he managed to steal Alice's “Eyes of the Wise Man,” things would become much more complicated.

"Greed," Lee Shin muttered.

A violet liquid appeared in Lee Shin’s palm, instantly spread out, and swallowed Chaos.

Gulp— Gulp—

As if devouring a delicious meal, the violet liquid, chaos, consumed Chaos quickly before returning to him.

[You have acquired the physical vessel of Chaos.]

[You have acquired the mind of Chaos.]

[Chaos has been completely integrated.]

[The strain from the chaos has disappeared.]

- Hahaha... That was a wise choice.

A small puppy, more like a spirit puppy, floated in the air.

- It's been a while, Chaos.

Gene Ebrium appeared next to Chaos and glared at the puppy.

- Heh, we were bound to meet eventually.

- Are you going to claim it's fate once again? Huh?

- That may be the case.

Lee Shin ignored them and looked at the message that had just appeared.

[You have cleared the 99th floor.]

Finally, Lee Shin had cleared the ninety-ninth floor. He had planned to challenge the hundredth floor right after clearing the ninety-ninth floor, but due to the God of Destruction, that was no longer an option for him.

"I'm going back," Lee Shin said.

***

Click—! Swoosh—

In New York City, Samuel Campbell leaned against the railing on the rooftop of the Empire State Building, lighting his cigarette. He gazed at the clear sky, his face filled with worry.

"It will be okay," said Clark, standing beside Samuel, checking something on his tablet."Why do you look so gloomy? Even the weather is nice and sunny," Jonathan asked.

Jonathan still hadn’t fully recovered from his injuries and sat awkwardly in a chair. His left arm was still in a cast.

"Ha... Is it just me, then? Why does everything look gloomy to me?" Samuel Campbell replied, sounding grim.

Samuel couldn't shake off the anxiety creeping into his mind. Lee Shin was challenging the ninety-ninth floor, so they were at a critical juncture right now. Samuel knew that once Lee Shin cleared the ninety-ninth floor, the next step would be to face the hundredth floor. Therefore, he believed that if anything were to go wrong, it would go wrong now.

"Don't worry too much. We have so many people trying to protect Earth." Clark suddenly stopped using his tablet.

"What's wrong?" Samuel asked nervously.

Clark's expression stiffened. When Samuel and Jonathan noticed that, they quickly grabbed his tablet.

"What's going on?" Samuel asked.

[A Gate is about to open in South Korea! It's on a completely different scale than before! Dr. Sevrino, the Gate specialist, says that the energy accumulating is beyond what the gate-blocking device can stop…]

"Darn it! I knew something would happen!" Samuel shouted in anger.

He tossed his cigarette and hastily put on the jacket he had casually draped over his shoulder.

"Where are you going, Sir?" Clark asked Samuel.

"The headquarters! Go tell the government, the association, and the media to prepare for the Gate!" Samuel shouted urgently at Clark.

"Understood," Clark replied.

“I’m going to call an emergency meeting. Tell everyone to be there within five minutes,” Samuel said.

“Yes, Sir!” Clark replied.

"And Jonathan, you get ready to follow Clark's instructions. You might have to fly directly to South Korea," Samuel said to Jonathan.

"But what about the United States?" Jonathan asked Samuel.

"Darn it! If South Korea goes down, everything is over! Haven't you seen it? All the energy is converging in South Korea. The United States challengers can probably handle the country’s smaller Gates, so keep all the rankers on standby! If we get a request for support from South Korea, we have to leave immediately," Samuel explained to Jonathan.

"Yes, Sir!" Jonathan replied.

Samuel rushed inside through the rooftop door. Meanwhile, China, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, and other countries worldwide also went into emergency mode.

Shanghai, China: Zhuge Yun had expanded his influence to the highest echelons of the Challengers Association, so he had power almost equal to that of the Association's Chairman.

"Can you see this?" Tang Zihao asked Zhuge Yun.

Tang Zihao, one of China's top rankers, made every effort to stick close to Zhuge Yun, not wanting to lose sight of him. As a result, he now worked as Zhuge Yun’s aide. All of this was thanks to the advice from Lee Shin.

"The Gate is..." Zhuge Yun muttered.

A massive Gate was emerging in Daejeon, South Korea, and a massive barrier had materialized around the Gate. It stopped anyone from breaching the gate and prevented invasive external interference. Zhuge Yun had not anticipated something like this.

"What's the current situation?" Zhuge Yun asked Tang Zihao.

"Well, right now, there are concerns among our citizens about rankers going over to South Korea to support them. They want our rankers to protect our nation instead,” Tang Zihao said.

"Tsk, after all the effort we put into changing the government, the citizens are the ones saying such nonsense?" Zhuge Yun muttered.

A new Premier had assumed office in China, thanks to the indirect support from Zhuge Yun, the Challengers Association, and the WCA.

"Let’s put our control over the media to good use," Zhuge Yun muttered.

Zhuge Yun spread the blueprint of the Eight-Sided Formation and analyzed the barrier covering the entire South Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, in the Seoggyo region of Daejeon, South Korea, students from the Magic Academy suddenly gazed skyward at the Gate. Initially small, the Gate gradually expanded, obscuring most of the sky. Now, when they looked up, the sky was barely visible.

"What's that...?"

"M-m-monsters!"

Countless dots emerged from the dark bluish Gate, revealing an overwhelming number of enemies. This attack was on an entirely different level compared to previous invasions.

"What do we do, John?" A Korean female student clung to John, an African-American student standing beside her, trembling.

"What do you mean? We should fight, too! We learned magic for this very reason, haven't we?" John replied confidently.

With determination in his eyes, John turned his gaze toward the monsters descending from the sky.

"What can we even do? Can we make a difference?" the Korean girl asked John.

"Of course! I've learned magic from Master Lee Shin! I'm practically his student, no? As his student, it's only natural that we step up!" John replied again with insurmountable confidence.

Although John had only received brief advice from Lee Shin about the Haste spell, he considered Lee Shin his master based solely on that encounter.

"Can we really do it?" the Korean girl asked.

Her question made John's gaze falter. Despite his confident words, he, too, felt that the monsters looked too powerful.

"O-of course…!" John replied.

Thunk.

An elderly man with white hair arrived at the rooftop of the Academy building. Using a levitation spell, he landed on the rooftop railing. Upon seeing the two students, he furrowed his eyebrows.

"What are you doing here? Haven't you heard the announcement? Get inside quickly!" shouted the elderly man at the two students.

"Yes, Sir!" The two students replied.

After ushering the students inside and to safety, Para McMatain gripped his staff and cast a determined look toward the sky.

"I was hoping to take it easy, teaching the kids in my retirement, but I guess not," Para McMatain grumbled, looking at the sky resolutely.