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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Sniper
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Opening the 'Black Box'. A powerful curse enveloping the box's contents spills out.
The moment he opened the box, black smoke began to seep out from within, slithering like a living thing.
Sparkling specks of light, like tiny stars, danced within the black smoke.
'Anubis's curse!'
Park Chan-woo quickly stepped back.
He could tell the curse woven into that black smoke was no ordinary affliction.
He had seen smoke like this before.
'The smoke from the ancient Anubis temple that turned people into monsters.'
There had been a massive Abyss that appeared in Egypt.
Those who entered the place dubbed the 'Ancient Anubis Temple' all touched that smoke and turned into monsters.
Yet people still flocked to the 'Ancient Anubis Temple' without hesitation.
Because everyone had witnessed Anubis guarding the entrance, clutching the 'Staff of the Earth.'
The 'Staff of the Earth' was an ultimate divine weapon on par with the 'World Tree Staff.'
Park Chan-woo had gone in for it himself, barely escaping with his life after a near-death experience.
In the end, no one cleared the 'Ancient Anubis Temple.'
There was simply no way to counter the curse in Anubis's black smoke.
And that wasn't all.
Anubis itself was an insurmountable wall.
Only those who faced it knew.
The roar still echoed vividly in his ears.
-Rooooaaarrr!
Anubis's cry, that black beast's bellow.
The top clan had assembled a 3,000-strong raid team, only to be utterly wiped out by a single Anubis.
The clan disbanded afterward, and the 'Ancient Anubis Temple' was deemed impossible to conquer.
'So that's why it was called a Black Box... because of the curse sealing the contents.'
But there was no time to check what was inside.
The smoke was already filling his room.
The moment Park Chan-woo tried to hurl himself out the window—
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Easter Egg (001)' activates. 'Luck (1)' arrives, allowing you to evade the curse. Another 'Luck (2)' arrives, making the box's contents radiant.
Poof!
The black smoke vanished in an instant.
As if it had never been there at all.
Park Chan-woo furrowed his brow.
'...To think the Easter Egg's luck could even dispel Anubis's curse.'
The thing that nullified the curse was the 'Easter Egg (001).'
Was this what it meant for luck to visit with every level up?
...He was honestly shocked.
He never dreamed that a mere 'Normal-grade' Easter Egg's luck could achieve what countless humans had failed to do despite their best efforts.
'If Normal-grade luck is this powerful... how insane would higher grades be?'
Indeed. Now he understood why Easter Eggs were called 'clear items.'
Overwhelming potential.
That single 'potential' was enough for an Easter Egg to crush everything.
Park Chan-woo approached the Black Box again.
Unlike before, a white light now leaked from it.
'Just like Pandora's box.'
The Black Box had looked ominous at first glance.
Opening what shouldn't be opened unleashed all manner of disasters and evils.
And so, only 'hope' remained inside the Black Box.
Park Chan-woo peered cautiously into its contents.
"Hm...?"
At the same time, he tilted his head.
It was far—very far—from what he'd expected.
'Radiant' contents.
He'd assumed it would be gear or an item to match.
"...A fluff ball?"
...There was a white fluff ball inside the box.
Soon, the white fluff ball lifted its lowered head and looked at Park Chan-woo.
Squeak?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Radiant Anubis' recognizes you. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Team Leader Kim Byung-han was in a great mood.
In just one day, the world had undergone a dramatic shift.
And Kim Byung-han had seized the opportunity amid that change. He'd gained power. He now stood on a level far above ordinary folk.
"What's this? Only this many people showed up today?"
Kim Byung-han scowled as he scanned the office.
No matter how chaotic the world had become, there should've been at least fifteen people. Instead, there were only three.
"They say the world's ending."
Employee Lee Min-soo spun in his chair with a joking tone.
Meaning, what was the point of coming to work if the world was done for?
"Ending my ass. This is exactly why kids these days are a problem. Always making excuses to slack off. Tsk."
Kim Byung-han clicked his tongue in disdain.
But in truth, the Earth had ground to a halt in just one day since the Abysses appeared.
The only reason they'd come in was to prepare for emergencies.
Even then, there wasn't much to do once they arrived.
"No issues on your end, Team Leader?"
Meaning, no friends, family, or acquaintances among the victims?
Yesterday's death toll in Korea had already surpassed 100,000.
Team Leader Kim Byung-han shrugged.
"Me? Nah, I'm naturally lucky."
It felt like God himself was on his side.
He'd gained the strength to adapt to the changes and even befriended Lee Hyuk-soo, the man everyone hailed as a 'hero.'
If he could pull Lee Hyuk-soo to his side, nothing would stand in his way.
The terrifying might that felled a Dragon God General with a single slash.
Just watching it sent shivers down his spine.
Then, a sudden thought crossed his mind, and Kim Byung-han spoke up.
"Where the hell is that bastard Park Chan-woo?"
"Probably cowering at home, pissing himself in fear?"
"Yeah, figures. Guy's got just the right amount of cowardice."
"Isn't that all because of you, Team Leader?"
"What?"
"I mean, you've babied him so much he's throwing tantrums. Haha!"
"...I've been too lenient."
"Team Leader's the best!"
Lee Min-soo gave a thumbs-up.
Kim Byung-han shook his head.
...Anyway, that was Park Chan-woo for you.
Even the other employees agreed he was a total coward.
Bend when told to bend, crawl when told to crawl.
But the Park Chan-woo he'd seen yesterday was different. Unrecognizably so.
That look in his eyes as he stared—it still haunted him.
'Things will be different now.'
Kim Byung-han gritted his teeth.
If a situation like yesterday arose again, it'd be Park Chan-woo begging, tears streaming, piss soaking his pants—not him.
"Look, Team Leader. He's a real piece of work."
"Holy shit, for real."
That's when it happened.
Lee Min-soo, mid chit-chat with Kim Byung-han, glanced toward the office entrance.
Kim Byung-han followed his gaze and shouted gladly.
"Park Chan-woo!"
Park Chan-woo stood at the office entrance.
A smile crept across Kim Byung-han's lips.
He strode over and threw his arm around Park Chan-woo's shoulder in a rough hug.
"You little punk, had me worried! Nothing happened after yesterday, right?"
Crunch!
With all his might, hard enough to crush the shoulder.
With his level-up, boosted stats, and Rare-grade gear, his strength surpassed most athletes.
Whoosh!
That's when it hit.
'Something feels hot and wet on my pants...'
Glancing down at the damp sensation, Kim Byung-han's face twisted in fury.
"Piss! You fucking psycho! What kind of lunatic brings a dog to the office!"
A white fluff ball sat on the floor.
Small enough to call a 'mini-cup dog.' It really looked like a rolling ball of pure white fur.
Furious at the unexpected mess, Kim Byung-han spat curses, but Park Chan-woo calmly went about his business.
"Piss-pants. Take this."
Thud.
Park Chan-woo tossed his resignation letter from his pocket.
As long as society's infrastructure was running, he needed to submit it to avoid getting dragged into nonsense.
"Piss-pants...?"
"The Team Leader's the one who pissed himself?"
The two employees who'd come in whispered behind him.
Kim Byung-han's face flushed red.
'So it was you, Park Chan-woo!'
It hadn't been a dream.
What happened in the Abyss at lunch yesterday.
Park Chan-woo had killed that Fallen Ghost.
Otherwise, why would it call him 'piss-pants'?
But Kim Byung-han had grown after surviving last night's Abyss.
No need to cower like yesterday.
"Park Chan-woo. Cut the bullshit."
"I handed in my resignation. Handle it yourself."
Of course, his threats fell on deaf ears.
Park Chan-woo turned to leave.
Then—
Grab!
Kim Byung-han seized his shoulder.
"Is that how you treat an adult talking to you?"
"..."
Park Chan-woo stopped, back turned.
Grinning, Kim Byung-han blabbered on.
"Apologize for yesterday. Then I'll let you go quietly. Or try threatening me like before?"
"..."
"Why's this punk so quiet? Scared now?"
"...'Abyss.'"
"Hm? Abyss?"
Kim Byung-han frowned at Park Chan-woo's words.
For a split second, he thought it was nonsense.
But then he burst out laughing.
"No message popped up, so what Abyss...? What, what the hell is that?"
Then he looked outside, and his pupils dilated massively.
He'd dismissed it as talk, but the world beyond the door had completely changed.
"N-no way, why's the hallway like that?"
"Team Leader, what's going on?"
"Wha...?"
The employees who approached were equally stunned.
The hallway looked decades neglected, cracked and worn.
Soon, their own office began morphing into something similar.
The change spread like an infection across the world.
There was only one phenomenon that caused this.
"N-no, impossible! No message appeared!"
...An 'Abyss' had appeared.
Kim Byung-han shuddered.
From yesterday's experience, a message always popped up the instant an Abyss spawned.
Yet nothing had appeared.
'It's a Sniper Abyss.'
Of course, Park Chan-woo knew what this meant.
One of the Creators had forcibly opened a 'Sniper Abyss.'
True to its name, an Abyss that 'sniped' a specific target.
No omens. It struck without warning one day.
Without a Coin, your odds of dying in a Sniper Abyss exceeded 95%.
Some said 99%.
'Is it sniping me?'
It was only day two.
Who would a Creator want to snipe with a Sniper Abyss?
Park Chan-woo, who'd bankrupted four Creators yesterday—himself, perhaps.
'...If they know I bankrupted Creators, they'd know I have Coins.'
Park Chan-woo held seven Coins.
A Creator aware of that wouldn't waste a Sniper Abyss on him.
The standard snipe drained your Coins in other Abysses first, then hit you with one.
Revenge for bankrupting Creators?
That didn't add up either.
Creators didn't care about each other.
They were indifferent, applauding when another went bankrupt.
And he couldn't recall earning any specific grudge from one.
"L-look out the window! Check the sun!"
Everyone looked outside.
Soon, Park Chan-woo realized what this Sniper Abyss meant.
Employee Lee Min-soo pointed at the sun, then turned to Kim Byung-han.
"...Team Leader. Isn't that your face?"
Sure enough.
...Team Leader Kim Byung-han's face floated above the sun.
"Wh-what? Why's my face up there?"
Kim Byung-han muttered in disbelief.
And before long, the relevant message appeared before everyone's eyes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Find the 'person floating above the sun' and kill them. The 'Abyss' will end upon clearing. Time limit: 72 hours. Failure will summon a 'Death Knight.'
"..."
Kim Byung-han's face turned ashen as he read the message.