Chapter 82
They were starving.
And not just that — they were furious.
Intruders had violated their nest.
From above, the Ice Wyverns’ yellow pupils gleamed with murderous rage as they fixed upon the man standing on the snow-covered ground.
“KIIIIIIIIIIIK!”
The leading wyvern dove, cutting through the air with a force that could shatter glaciers.
Its wingspan alone was easily ten meters wide.
Its enormous shadow swallowed him whole.
Shweeeeak!
It came charging in — aiming to snatch the intruder’s skull and crush it instantly.
But Doyun didn’t even think about dodging.
His expression was indifferent.
He simply looked up at the sky as if watching a giant mosquito fly toward him.
Then—
Paaah!
A surge of blue radiance erupted from Doyun’s body, flooding the entire view.
Waves of shimmering protective energy wrapped his body like an unbreakable fortress.
KWA-AAAAANG!
A deafening crash, like a runaway freight truck smashing into a steel wall.
The leading Ice Wyvern never even touched Doyun’s body — it simply slammed headfirst into the barrier of energy.
The result was devastating.
Its massive frame was flung away, a bloodied heap.
All six of its steel-like talons snapped and scattered across the snow.
The creature crashed into the ground and didn’t even twitch.
It was over in an instant.
Impregnable.
The overwhelming difference in power made the remaining Ice Wyverns hesitate.
Their instincts screamed a warning — this human was something entirely beyond them.
‘Ah, my mistake,’ Doyun muttered, scratching the back of his head.
He shouldn’t have suppressed their aggression.
He had plenty of time, so it wasn’t exactly a loss, but the thought of having to chase them down one by one was a hassle.
‘Let’s hope this works.’
And so, Doyun made a choice — one that not even a single one of the tens of thousands of climbers who cleared the 13th floor before him had ever made.
Tsutsutsutsu…
The waves of his protective aura began to fade as if melting away.
Its range rapidly shrank until only a thin membrane clung to his skin.
The menacing pressure was gone.
Sensing the sudden change, the Ice Wyverns’ instincts flared once again.
KAAAAAAAAAA!
They dived in unison — a storm of death descending from every direction.
Dozens of shadows closed in, tightening their encirclement.
The first one to reach him lunged and bit down on his shoulder.
“…?!”
A question mark might as well have appeared above the wyvern’s head.
Its huge eyes flickered with visible confusion.
It had bitten — but felt nothing.
Even when it summoned every ounce of strength to crush him—
Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak!
The sound that followed wasn’t the wet crunch of tearing flesh.
It was the screech of teeth slipping on metal.
More wyverns swooped in, sinking their fangs into his arms, legs, back, and sides—
Ka-gak! Ka-gak! Ka-ga-ga-gak!
The result was the same.
No matter where they bit, his flesh didn’t yield. Only the harsh metallic sound echoed through the air.
“Thanks.”
Doyun looked down at the Ice Wyverns clinging to him — as if examining bothersome insects stuck to his body.
They’d latched on better than expected.
“Bunch of birdbrains.”
A faint smile curved his lips.
[Activating ‘Guardian’s Blade (A)’]
The Frostblade in his hand howled with an icy wind.
[Mythic Martial Tome – Boundless God Manual]
└ [Chapter of the Sword]
└ [Doctrine of Explosive Blades]
At the moment of activation, Doyun himself became a storm.
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-BOOM!
From the Frostblade’s white edge burst a power beyond any master’s realm — thousands of cutting winds exploding in rapid succession, grinding space itself into fragments.
It was an unavoidable, unstoppable judgment.
‘13th Floor — Ice Wyvern Nest… Sentence: Death.’
At Doyun’s decree, the creatures couldn’t even scream.
They simply watched in horror as their bodies and their comrades were shredded to dust.
Bones and flesh disintegrated.
Wings and membranes tore apart.
A crimson blizzard of gore swept across the frozen plain.
[B-Class Threat Eliminated!] [B-Class Threat Eliminated!] [B-Class Threat Eliminated!] …
[Honor Points Acquired: 12,500]
‘Rolling in nicely,’ Doyun murmured, looking down at the blood-soaked snow with a satisfied grin.
The wyverns left nothing to waste.
He gave a quiet command to the corpses below.
“Alright, little ones — dinner time.”
[Summon – ‘Seed of the Wraith’]
SSSSSSSSSSHH…
An eerie darkness blossomed across the snow.
Thousands of black tendrils writhed outward in every direction.
Their numbers had grown. Their aura, denser and more sinister.
Doyun’s army of wraiths spread over the wyvern corpses, burrowing into flesh and bone, draining the last traces of life.
Pasa-sasa-sasa…
The Ice Wyverns turned to mummified husks.
That was why the 10th floor zone was called a treasure trove.
Unlike the lower floors where climbers were forced to rush, here one could hunt and harvest at leisure.
And the longer you lingered, the more record bonuses you earned.
It was the perfect hunting ground for Doyun.
‘Honor farming, wraith nourishment — all in one go.’
Nothing could be more efficient.
Brilliant studio lights illuminated the set.
Upbeat intro music played as the camera panned to center stage.
<Tower Inside>
Ever since the Tower had risen, this show had dominated the ratings, covering every new development.
“Good evening! We’re back with the hottest news from the Tower of Transcendence. Welcome to Tower Inside!”
As the host’s polished greeting ended, today’s headlines flashed on the screen.
<Today’s Tower Progress>
-
“East Asia League’s leading group reaches the 29th floor!”
-
“Sky Gunner Park Ji-woon and Formation Mage Lee Seo-jun confirmed to be waiting on the 30th floor!”
-
“Sword Saint Yoon Seha conquers the 33rd floor — only two floors behind World Rank #1 Christopher Reed (North America League)!”
…
…
“Joining us today with his expert analysis is the guild master of <Divine Blade>, Mr. Namgoong Yul.”
The camera cut to a sharp-looking young man who nodded politely.
“Hello, I’m Namgoong Yul.”
“Let’s start with a question many viewers have been asking. Our nation’s top-ranked climbers are currently waiting in the 30th-floor competition zone. What happens if the required number of entrants isn’t met? Do they stay stuck in endless standby?”
“Haha, I was curious about that myself. That kind of thing never happens in my tier — there are always enough challengers.”
Namgoong Yul chuckled.
“But according to Korea’s current #1 — our very own Sword Saint Yoon Seha — if the time limit expires, top climbers from other leagues are automatically matched together. A true World League begins.”
“A global league… Just the sound of it gives me chills,” said the host, his tone swelling with excitement.
Then he composed himself and spoke gravely.
“As of today, there are only 94 days left. This is no mere contest of records — it’s a war, with the fate of nations on the line.”
The studio grew solemn.
Then the host brightened again.
“Of course, beyond the veteran climbers, the rise of new talents is another spectacle! So we prepared a special segment.”
<A Meteoric Newcomer! The Shocking Record-Breaker Shaking the League — How Far Can His Unstoppable Ascent Go?>
Clips and data graphics flashed across the screen — there was no real footage, only records and dramatic captions.
-
All fastest-clear records from Floors 1–10 secured!
-
Triple crown: national, league, and global record holder!
-
Poised to dominate the ‘Longest Survival’ record for the 10th floor zone!
-
Currently presumed to have cleared the 13th floor and begun the 14th!
“With every step, he rewrites history — today’s guest of honor, known as the ‘Strange Hunter’, Hunter Hyun Doyun!”
The camera panned to the guest seat beside Namgoong Yul.
There sat Seo Dongchul in a perfectly tailored suit.
“Joining us is the man dubbed ‘the Doyun specialist,’ CEO Seo Dongchul of Myeolsu Research Group.”
“Good evening.”
“You’re known for your deep analysis of Doyun’s moves. Did you predict his progress through Frostland as well?”
“Of course.”
Seo Dongchul smiled confidently, as if he saw everything coming.
“I don’t mean to brag, but I predicted Hunter Hyun Doyun would blitz through the 10th-floor competition zone, maintain his record streak, and take first place in total accumulated points.”
“And every one of those predictions came true! Truly remarkable foresight.”
He gave a modest shrug.
“Doyun is a man who appears only after meticulous preparation and analysis. A late bloomer with unstoppable momentum — the likes of which the world has never seen. His rise won’t end anytime soon.”
“And the public’s enthusiasm shows no signs of cooling,” the host added.
“But some analysts warn that the ‘cursed zone’ starting from the 15th floor could halt his progress. Guildmaster Namgoong, what do you think?”
“Yes, from the 15th floor onward begins the infamous ‘Dead Zone’ — countless rankers have failed to break past it.”
Namgoong Yul’s tone grew serious.
“I myself barely endured the clear timer before escaping upward.”
‘Even Namgoong Yul struggled?’ Seo Dongchul’s brow twitched.
He too had nearly died on the 15th floor and never again attempted record runs after that.
Chasing bonuses recklessly could mean shattered equipment or, worse, death penalties that erased years of progress.
“What’s your take, Mr. Seo?”
‘Damn it, what should I say?’ he thought.
Survival and combat power were different things entirely.
Even for Hyun Doyun, breaking global records wouldn’t be easy.
Logic told him to stay cautious—
‘No, pull yourself together, Seo Dongchul! You’re riding his wave now!’
All this attention, all this spotlight —
He was a top-30 Korean ranker, but the thrill he felt now was on another level entirely.
Thanks to Doyun, he was basking in fame he’d never tasted before.
He couldn’t afford to lose it.
He looked straight into the camera.
“There’s no way something like a ‘dead zone’ could stop him.”
“Oh? Another prediction?”
“Not a prediction — a prophecy.”
With solemn conviction, Seo Dongchul declared:
“Mark my words. Hunter Hyun Doyun will prove it — just as he always has.”
