Chapter 293

Thunder tribulations were a gamble. Each time, the probability of success rested in the single digits, but in passing it, a player’s status and power would soar overnight.

That said, the price of failure was death—so no matter how greedy one was, players always approached tribulations cautiously.

It was for this reason that players beyond level 150 raised their level slowly. Even if it took decades, they were careful not to trigger another tribulation before gathering enough means to overcome it.

Jae-Hyeok, however, had no intention of being like others. After transcending last week, he charged toward his next tribulation without slowing his pace in the slightest.

“What type of confidence is this?”

“Confidence? This is arrogance! What he’s doing is beyond dangerous!”

“Jae-Hyeok!”

Kang Hyeon-Ah, the youths, Bellona, and the others were all thinking of the worst outcome. After all, no matter how strong Jae-Hyeok was, the power of a tribulation scaled according to the level of the player undergoing it.

“N-no...”

“The Thunder God will die!”

Some of the citizens also stomped their feet with worry, the same ones who’d cheered the loudest after Jae-Hyeok had killed the demonized Wilhelm. The more they respected and adored Jae-Hyeok, the greater the despair they felt.

In their worry, everyone overcooked one key detail: Jae-Hyeok’s growth rate.

After all, the experience required to level up increased exponentially. For a transcendent like Jae-Hyeok, to gain ten levels in the course of a single week was...

Unheard of.

“W.... what...?”

The Thunder Emperor was the first to notice it. There was only one way Jae-Hyeok could’ve leveled so fast in such a short amount of time.

“Just how many peak National Treasures have you killed?”

Peak National Treasures... Such players were all contenders for the World’s Strongest title, just like Wilhelm or The Thunder Emperor himself, and boasted levels around the 200 mark, 50 levels higher than Jae-Hyeok had been a week ago, and 40 levels higher than Jae-Hyeok was now.

Yet Jae-Hyeok had killed not only Wilhelm but others of the same level?

Jae-Hyeok shrugged. “It just turned out this way.”

The Thunder Emperor blinked, then let out an empty laugh.

What has the world come to...

Born strong and raised stronger—the Thunder Emperor had always been a genius among geniuses. Aside from the Yaksha, he’d never lost to anyone, and never, ever, had he questioned his own talent before meeting Jae-Hyeok.

The brat amazed him every time they met. But this time took the cake.

“You... you’re already stronger than me.”

The Thunder Emperor didn’t bother to ask whom Jae-Hyeok had killed besides Wilhelm.

It ultimately didn’t matter. Killing a peak National Treasure was not the same as defeating one. Not even the Thunder Emperor could guarantee a clean kill against his peers. For Jae-Hyeok to pin down and kill someone at the Thunder Emperor’s caliber spoke volumes.

The Thunder Emperor turned his eyes to the roiling clouds. He had taken a span of three years to rise from his first to second tribulation. Meanwhile, Jae-Hyeok only took a week...

“

Sigh

.” The Thunder Emperor clapped a hand on Jae-Hyeok’s shoulder. “Every fiber of my being tells me this is madness. But I believe in you. Just... don’t forget, you need to live to see the day I fill the Firebird’s Essence, awaken your father, and beat him fair and square.”

The Thunder Emperor’s grip was vice-like, but Jae-Hyeok felt only warmth.

“Yes.”

Jae-Hyeok smiled, and with a final pat, the Thunder Emperor let go and moved back. Turning away from the Thunder Emperor, Jae-Hyeok’s expression fell serious as he looked up.

Thunderclouds rumbled, and lightning webbed through the eye of the storm directly overhead.

Then, it fell.

“No!”

A fresh wave of screams erupted among the onlookers as a pillar of lightning swallowed Jae-Hyeok. From where it struck, massive fissures spread across the eight-lane road.

The Thunder Emperor’s eyes also went wide...

Damn. I’ve never heard or seen a second tribulation as violent as this.

The power of Jae-Hyeok’s tribulation was barely any different from the one he’d encountered at level 201.

Maybe...

The Thunder Emperor thought back to Reinhardt while his eyes flashed with the light from the lightning descending on Jae-Hyeok.

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Reinhardt, a crazy world where even farmers were transcendents...

To put it in gaming terms, if Earth was the tutorial zone, then Reinhardt was where the real adventure began. There, even the Thunder Emperor felt small and wouldn’t dare claim he could become the strongest, even after decades or centuries. But Jae-Hyeok? Perhaps...

Boom! Boom!...

“Come on, endure! Endure—and one day become the strongest!” the Thunder Emperor shouted without realizing it. Veins bulged on his neck as he was completely consumed by excitement.

Thunder Vessel—release.

Lightning tore from Jae-Hyeok's palm and clashed with the tribulation in the sky, dispelling the descending bolt—only for another to follow in quick succession.

Thunder Vessel—absorb.

Jae-Hyeok swept out his other hand, whereupon the lightning bolt vanished into his palm.

It was a sight that was difficult to follow even for S-class players like Bellona, let alone ordinary citizens. To their eyes, it seemed as if every lightning bolt struck true. Only the Thunder Emperor perceived the truth—

Jae-Hyeok was toying with the tribulation!

Amid the scattering lightning, Jae-Hyeok’s graceful figure slowly resolved. Shoulders upright, raven hair fluttering in the wind—he resembled a young deity

“Thunder God...”

Hell Sword—First Form...

Lightning flashed, and the twisting shadows around Jae-Hyeok became apparent.

Thunder Slay!

Jae-Hyeok’s Shadow Control reached the peak, he thrust out Iyrarugt, and from its tip erupted an inky line of sword aura that pierced the heavens—obliterating the final bolt of tribulation lightning before it could descend halfway.

“Has he already achieved it?”

Theodore was amazed. The Hell Sword Jae-Hyeok had just displayed was clearly different from the Hell Sword linked to Jae-Hyeok’s weapon. Even more unique was that this one seemed to draw enlightenment from shadow energy.

Thunder Slay...

True to its name, it was a sword technique designed to subdue lightning.

Upon realizing the original Hell Sword carried a unifying sword intent—namely, to hunt demons—Jae-Hyeok had been inspired to do the same, and the result spoke for itself.

Players were born to overcome tribulations. And with Thunder Slay, Jae-Hyeok intended to do just that. With it, he hoped to grow uninterrupted in the future.

Just then, a string of notifications crowded Jae-Hyeok’s vision.

[You have successfully overcome the thunder tribulation. The qualitative enhancement per stat point has risen.]

[Legendary achievement!—You are the youngest second-tribulation transcendent in human history.]

[All stats increased by 10.]

“

You have the heart of a knight, and now the power befitting your heart.

”

[Iris, Third Princess of Reinhardt, has handed you a Royal Palace Invitation.]

“

When the stage on which you stand can no longer contain you, come seek me. I look forward to our meeting.”

The storm clouds cleared, and the morning sun washed over the land.

Jae-Hyeok’s hair glistened in the light, while his porcelain skin glowed softly.

The crowd questioned whether Jae-Hyeok had been born on Earth or if he was an angel descended from heaven.

“So beautiful...”

“Awesome...”

Most of the onlookers were mesmerized.

“You are the best!”

Only Kang Hyeon-Ah ran forward and embraced her brother, which swiftly evolved into a headlock.

“

Hehe

. My cute little brother has already become a second-tribulation transcendent. Big Sis is proud!”

“S-sister, not in front of everyone...”

The bones in his jaw and neck creaked under the pressure.

I’m already a second-tribulation transcendent...

Jae-Hyeok could hardly believe it.

Is Elder Sister also level 151?

Before Jae-Hyeok could tap out, the Thunder Emperor approached, and Kang Hyeon-Ah let go of her own accord.

He said, “I imagine you’ll be going to that place soon.”

Reinhardt...

Jae-Hyeok contemplated briefly before shaking his head.

“No. School is about to start.”

“School?”

The Thunder Emperor’s doubts lasted only a moment—For someone like Jae-Hyeok, the only “school” he could be referring to was Lion’s Castle, the world’s largest gate, a mysterious dimension which, though uncleared, had never shown signs of a monster wave.

He must be aiming for the first to clear. But... how? That gate’s quest has gone undiscovered for years. No matter how powerful he is, whether he can find the quest in the first place will come down to luck.

The Thunder Emperor hesitated briefly before saying, “Why don’t you think about it a bit more carefully?”

“It will be much more helpful for you to go there than to cling to uncertainties.”

“I’m not sure.”

Sensing the Thunder Emperor’s worries, Jae-Hyeok smiled.

“Don’t worry.”

Jae-Hyeok turned his eyes to Kang Hyeon-Ah, his friends, and then to the Guardian players and employees of Jaegyeong Pharmaceuticals, who had arrived at the scene one after another. “I wonder if they will do a good job...”

“?”