CHAPTER 54**

054 - The Glass Bead

Ruuuumble!
The temple was shaking. No, it wasn't the temple that was shaking, but the entire floating island itself.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Even Jinwoo couldn't help but be surprised by this.
Could it be that the sky island's ability to float was entirely due to the God of the Sky's power? He hadn't just built his nest on an already floating island?
‘Then that means it's going to fall!’
If that was the case, the current shaking meant the island was falling.
Jinwoo immediately went outside to check, and indeed, the island's altitude was dropping.
Slowly, but surely, the island was falling under the influence of gravitational acceleration.
"Aaaaaaah!"
"What is that?!"
"The sky island is falling!"
The residents of Pandemonium, who had been hiding, looked up at the sky and cried out in horror.
The message that had just echoed through the city—that the 'Temple of the Sky' had collapsed—was already a major incident on its own.
But for a disaster like the fall of the sky island to happen right after…
‘What do I do?’
Even someone like Jinwoo had no way to stop a falling island.
He himself could just escape, but at this rate, the city would be half-destroyed in an instant.
Just then.
A small glass bead at Jinwoo's core began to glow. It was the bead formed from the condensed blessing given to him by the God of the Moonlight Forest.
The bead's light pierced through the island and connected to the Moonlight Forest. It reached the Temple of the Moonlight Forest, and further still, to the divine object hidden deep within the temple, creating a single path.
‘This is…’
The Temple of the Moonlight Forest changed. To be precise, the small sapling that was its divine object began to grow at an incredible rate, covering the temple and then the forest.
Thick roots grew, climbing up the path of light that connected the glass bead and the sapling, and began to support the falling island.
KWOOONG!
Although the roots caught it as delicately as possible, the impact that spread through the island was still considerable.
The weakest parts of the island's outer edge shattered, falling toward the city as a rain of stone.
The small stones pelted down, embedding themselves in buildings and sinking into the ground.
However.
‘Did it stop?’
That was the extent of it. The island itself did not fall.
The small sapling that was the divine object of the Moonlight Forest had grown into a colossal tree, catching the falling island. The island was a bit smaller, but the city was safe.
“Hoo…”
It seemed the disaster had been averted. Not by him, but by the God of the Moonlight Forest.
‘Thank you.’
A disaster had nearly occurred as a result of his battle. Jinwoo expressed his gratitude for having it stopped. Saying a simple thank you wasn't a difficult thing to do.
[The God of the Moonlight Forest is delighted.]
The other party seemed pleased as well. This was probably a good way to wrap things up.
But it didn't end there.
[You have made a unique and unparalleled contribution to the Moonlight Forest.]
- Kang Jinwoo - Contribution to the God of the Moonlight Forest: 164,350,186 (↑ 158,157,359)
“Huh?”
An enormous amount of contribution points, over 100 million, poured into Jinwoo.
“It went up by 150 million?”
His points had been in the millions, but suddenly, a sum tens of times larger had been dumped on him.
As he wondered about the sudden jump in digits, he found the number strangely familiar.
‘The amount it increased by is similar to Lin Shenlin’s, isn't it? No, maybe a bit more.’
Looking at the contribution points he received, he was reminded of Lin Shenlin’s total. Although, this was even more.
If it wasn't a coincidence, then perhaps…
‘Did the contribution points stripped from the God of the Sky get funneled to me?’
That would explain the number.
The contribution dedicated to the Temple of the Sky was 120 million from Lin Shenlin. The rest from others wasn't particularly high.
Lin Shenlin had monopolized most of the contribution points.
If the several hundred others combined for about 30 million, it made sense that a total of 150 million, including Lin Shenlin's, had come to him.
‘I really did take everything from that god.’
His divine object, his temple, and even the contribution his followers had built up. All of it.
Even the sky island where he had made his nest was now connected to the tree grown from the Moonlight Forest, becoming a part of the forest itself.
The Temple of the Moonlight Forest had effectively expanded its territory.
‘Then the contribution ranking is…’
[Those most beloved by the gods are as follows.]
- Kang Jinwoo - Contribution to the God of the Moonlight Forest: 164,350,186
- Vertus - Contribution to the God of the Battlefield: 55,254,152
- Ipril - Contribution to the God of the Moonlight Forest: 48,958,525
- Kartuna - Contribution to the God of the Forge: 46,214,852

Lin Shenlin, having been stripped of his contribution, had vanished from the rankings entirely. He hadn't just dropped to second place; his name was completely gone.

In his place, the name of Kang Jinwoo now sat at the top.
The number one in Pandemonium. And with a number far beyond the 120 million that had made Lin Shenlin number one.

Though parts of the city were destroyed, it wasn't a major issue. This wasn't an ordinary city, but rather a temporary stop for those exploring the Gate.
Even in a place like this, there were people doing business, and there was a rather prosperous tavern.
Inside the tavern, where a slightly collapsed wall was hastily covered with a cloth, Poldre boisterously raised his wooden mug.
“That’s right! I, myself, am the one who dropped Kang Jinwoo off on the sky island!”
“Whoa, that’s amazing! Tell us more, Poldre!”
“So, what happened was…”
Poldre, who ran a taxi-like service in Pandemonium with his wyvern, was a well-known social butterfly.
Of course, most of his acquaintances were Elves, but he knew a few Dwarves and Beastmen as well.
At every drinking party he attended, he would boast of his own heroic deeds, and if you only heard his stories, you would think he had played a major role as Jinwoo’s right-hand man.
How Gorong had performed a fantastic flight, breaking through the fierce attacks of the fearsome Lin Shenlin and the God of the Sky.
How, at a moment of life and death, they had barely reached the island where he dropped off Kang Jinwoo.
How Kang Jinwoo had looked back, worried for him and Gorong, but he had told him.
“‘Go, quickly! Leave this place to me and Gorong!’ That’s what I told him. It was a dramatic scene you couldn't watch without shedding a tear.”
“Kyah! Now that’s a story that makes the booze taste good.”
“I knew Gorong was a fine wyvern, but to think that penny-pincher Poldre was such a cool guy…”
“Of course! I was right there assisting in the great feat of toppling a god’s temple for the first time in Pandemonium’s history. There’s no way I’m just an ordinary guy.”
Poldre’s shoulders puffed up, and a wide grin spread across his face. The looks of envy and respect from everyone felt incredibly good.
He was always dealing with guys who grumbled about his prices being too high or troublesome customers throwing tantrums. Receiving these kinds of looks for once, he couldn't stop.
“So then, at that time…”
“Huh? It’s Kang Jinwoo!”
Just then, Kang Jinwoo appeared in the tavern, along with his companions—an Elf, a human, and a hatchling.
All eyes in the tavern turned to them. Right now, they, especially Kang Jinwoo at the center, were the most famous people in Pandemonium.
The current number one in Pandemonium. The one who, after Lin Shenlin, possessed over 100 million contribution points.
Not only that, but he was the first in Pandemonium’s history to bring down a god’s temple.
“K-Kang Jinwoo!”
Poldre, who had been busy building up his own fame by selling Kang Jinwoo’s name, jumped in his seat. He trembled and avoided eye contact. Of all the times for Kang Jinwoo to show up!
“Hey, Poldre. Isn’t that the man you assisted? What are you doing, not greeting him?”
“Shh! Shh! Be quiet!”
“Hey! Kang Jinwoo! Poldre is drinking over here!”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey!”
Another Elf at the table cluelessly called out to Kang Jinwoo, making Poldre flinch in terror.
In the end, their eyes met.
‘Ugh.’
He had hoped Jinwoo would pretend not to see him and pass by, but Kang Jinwoo looked his way, smirked, and approached.
“Uh, uhh, Jinwoo. It’s been a while.”
“Poldre, thanks for your help last time. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn't have had a way to get up to the sky island.”
“Haha, of course I had to help, right?”
Fortunately, Jinwoo spoke well of him, so Poldre’s reputation wasn't tarnished.
Jinwoo chuckled and whispered, just loud enough for Poldre to hear.
“It’s fine to tell heroic tales, but go easy on the parts about me. Don’t spread any weird rumors.”
“Ah, I under—I mean, yes sir! I’ll keep that in mind!”
Poldre replied with the sharp discipline of a soldier.
The most important virtue for a merchant is to read the prevailing trend and ride it. The dominant power in the city right now was clearly the Kang Jinwoo family.
Kang Jinwoo, who achieved the unprecedented feat of destroying a god’s temple.
Ipril, famous as the muscle Elf with the third-highest contribution in the city.
Even Mahiri, a newcomer to the city, was no ordinary person. She was a woman who traveled with a Dragon, a being from the 5th Floor!
From the perspective of Poldre, who had struggled just to tame a single wyvern, Mahiri was, in some ways, the most respectable person of all.
“I might need Gorong’s help again next time, so I’ll be counting on you then.”
“O-Of course!”
After shaking hands, Jinwoo disappeared upstairs with his party.

Left alone, Poldre wiped the sweat from his brow as if all his energy had been drained, only to be met with a storm of cheers from the Elves at his table.
“Poldre! Poldre!”
“I knew you were destined for great things! Hahahaha!”
“R-Right? Haha…”
Unable to be genuinely happy, Poldre laughed awkwardly, thinking to himself that he should only exaggerate his heroic tales in moderation…

Meanwhile, upstairs, Jinwoo and his party were having a grand drinking session.
“To victory!”
“Cheers!”
Jinwoo, Ipril, and Mahiri clinked their glasses, and Mahiri let Kalesian drink from her cup.
Thanks to their generous payment, the table was laden with so much food it looked like the legs would break.
Bread and soup were basics, accompanied by steak seasoned with over ten different spices, and a fish dish drenched in a tangy, creamy white sauce. There was also a massive turkey, roasted whole after being stuffed with fruits, mushrooms, and meatballs.
Everything had just been cooked, and warm steam wafted from the dishes. They were such fantastic meals that one could almost forget they were inside a Gate.
“Can I ask now? What was the Guardian’s true identity, and how on earth did you defeat it?”
Mahiri’s mouth, controlled by Kalesian, asked the question he most wanted to know.
Though he couldn't give a detailed explanation, Jinwoo roughly recounted what had happened.
The Guardian was a domain-type magic set by the God of the Sky, and he had somehow managed to break through it and obtain the scabbard.
“The scabbard?”
“This is it.”
Jinwoo took out the black leather scabbard left behind by the God of the Sky from his inventory. The Sky Sword, given to him by Bulkar, was sheathed inside. Given the materials, the two were a perfect match.
‘Actually, I was thinking of giving it to the Ego Sword.’
The Ego Sword was currently housed in a craftsman's scabbard he had bought separately from a luxury shop.
The Sky God’s scabbard was a much superior item, so he had offered it to the Ego Sword, but…
Kiiing! Kiiiiiing!
The Ego Sword had desperately refused. It was as if to say it didn't want to be inside such an ominous object.
‘I can see why it would refuse.’
It wasn't hard to understand. The Sky God’s scabbard was made of Erosion energy.
The very foundation of the scabbard was Erosion, so it was impossible to simply strip away the Erosion part and use it.
Thus, the Ego Sword had vehemently shaken its head, and Jinwoo hadn't forced the issue.
As a result, the Ego Sword was still using the scabbard he bought from the luxury shop, and the Sky God’s scabbard now held Bulkar’s Sky Sword.
The compatibility between the two was truly top-tier. It was the best, but…
‘The fact that it’s the power of Erosion still bothers me.’
He still couldn't shake the feeling of unease.
“Ooooh! So this is a divine object from the Spirit Realm!”
Mahiri, however, welcomed the scabbard without a care. She examined it as if she wanted to lick it, her eyes clearly showing Kalesian’s greed for treasure.
She looked at the scabbard with immense desire, but…
Woooong-
The scabbard emitted the power of Erosion, pushing Mahiri away, then spun around and returned to Jinwoo.
The Erosion energy flowing from the scabbard wrapped around Jinwoo’s arm and showed no intention of letting go.
“Hmm, what a peculiar item. It’s not uncommon for treasured objects to choose their owner, but this is the first time I’ve seen the power of Erosion do so.”
“Tell me about it.”
Jinwoo, also experiencing this for the first time, didn't know what to do.
Until now, Erosion had been nothing but an enemy. It was the culprit that had devastated Earth and an evil that invaded countless other worlds.
For it to follow an owner like this, and for him to be chosen as that owner, was something he couldn't comprehend.
‘No, wait. Was there another time?’
A being that was of Erosion, yet was friendly to him.
The eroded root of the World Tree he had met in Belen Village had been like that.
‘At first, it glared at me as if to kill me, but at some point, it became docile. I don't know why, but it even showed me the image of the priestess.’
The circumstances were different, but the feeling was similar to back then.
There was also the case of the island, but in that instance, the turtle itself was friendly, not necessarily the Erosion.
“Are you okay? Normally, if you stay that close to Erosion, your body and mind shouldn't remain unscathed.”
“I’m being careful, but I seem to be fine for now. There’s no particular harm.”
If the scabbard were to reveal its true, malicious nature, he planned to cut it down immediately. He kept that in mind, but so far, nothing of the sort had happened.

If anything, it was so obedient it was becoming a problem. It would even throw a fit and return to him if he tried to hand it to someone else.
“Since it’s made of a substance from the Spirit Realm and was originally a Monarch’s possession, it seems it’s not an object that can be judged by the common sense of this world. This will be fascinating to research. May I ask for your cooperation?”
“You’ll do the research on the 3rd Floor?”
“Yes. I plan to set up a workshop here and focus on studying the scabbard. I’m sorry to ask, but would you mind helping out, Jinwoo-ssi? The scabbard doesn't listen to anyone without you.”
“That much I can do for you.”
While Jinwoo played a decisive role in obtaining the scabbard, Kalesian still had a stake in it.
He was the one who devised the plan, and if he hadn't lured and held off Lin Shenlin, even infiltrating the temple would have been difficult.
And yet, ownership of the divine object had fallen entirely to him. Given the circumstances, he could gladly agree to cooperate with the research.
“Ipril, thank you too. I heard you put a hole in Lin Shenlin’s shoulder?”
“I just sniped him from a distance while he was off guard. It’s a pity I couldn't hit his head.”
“Lin Shenlin is an S-class too, he wouldn't go down that easily. Still, we won thanks to you, so that’s what matters.”
“We did end up losing him, though…”
Immediately after the Temple of the Sky collapsed, Lin Shenlin had instantly fled the battlefield.
To run the moment the situation turned unfavorable—his judgment was incredibly fast.
Kalesian and Ipril had given chase, but Lin Shenlin had apparently jumped into a red portal.
“If it were a blue portal, he would have returned to Hong Kong, making him easy to track, but there’s nothing we can do if he crossed over to the 4th Floor.”
“That’s hard to follow.”
Chasing an enemy who fled through a red portal is next to impossible.
In the case of the 3rd Floor, it’s manageable since you’ll just be dropped at a random location within Pandemonium, but that’s not true for other floors.
Jumping into a red portal to chase after Lin Shenlin, who would have been dropped at a random location on the 4th Floor, would be foolish.
“In any case, we obtained our target, the divine object, so now we just need to focus on research. Now that we have an item from the Spirit Realm, we have to find some kind of clue to ascend to that place.”
“I’ll be staying on the 3rd Floor for a while too, so call me when the workshop is ready.”
“Master, what are your plans for the future?”
“For the time being, I plan to rest and spend my time meditating.”
He wanted to stay in the Temple of the Moonlight Forest a bit longer, and more importantly, he had gained a lot this time.
Not just the power of the Golden Apple, but also the Sky God’s scabbard. There was much to examine and contemplate.
In other words, he needed time to consolidate his gains.
‘There’s no reason to be obsessed with contribution points anymore.’
Having already amassed over 100 million contribution points, he no longer had any greed for them.
He would offer just enough of his remaining tributes to appease the God of the Moonlight Forest and focus on meditation.
With that thought, he drained the remaining fruit wine from his glass.

Three days later, word came that Kalesian’s workshop was complete.
Jinwoo took the Sky God’s scabbard and headed to his workshop.
There was an entrance leading underground on one side of the city. When he entered, a bleak scene unfolded before him.
The place was filled with rusted torture devices, as if it had once been a torture chamber, and there were rows of cells with corroded, broken bars.
“Is this kind of place to your taste?”
“Of course not. I was looking for a place as inconspicuous as possible, and this was all I could find.”
With no one else around, Kalesian spoke with his own mouth. Mahiri was curled up peacefully, sleeping on a sofa set up in a corner.
“She may be under my control, but it is a living body. Adequate rest and proper nutrition are essential.”
“...You take better care of her than I thought.”
“She’s my contractor. It’s only natural.”
Kalesian replied nonchalantly and gestured with his chin for him to come over.
A magic circle was drawn in the largest cell, with a designated spot to place the scabbard inside.
“Here?”
“Perfect.”
When he set it down, the scabbard began to emit Erosion energy, trying to wrap around Jinwoo’s arm. However, when Jinwoo soothed it, it quickly became docile.
‘Why is it so obedient?’
Feeling awkward about this situation that he still wasn't used to after several days, Jinwoo stepped out of the cell. Outside, he saw Kalesian open a thick book and continuously write something with a quill pen.
It seemed some kind of observation had already begun without Jinwoo’s knowledge. Kalesian was even wearing a pair of large glasses.

"What are those glasses?"
"Ah, they have no prescription. They're layered with multiple magic circles for research. Would you care to try them on?"
"No, I'm fine."
They looked dizzying, so Jinwoo politely declined.
"Then go ahead and rest. There's a cell next to the sofa Mahiri is sleeping on. I've had it decorated for you to use, so you can stay there."
"Thank you for your consideration."
When he went to check, it was indeed decorated much better than he'd expected.
The dirty floor and ceiling had been covered with clean wallpaper, and there was even a small chandelier. It was fully furnished with a bed, table, dresser, and even a sofa.
There was even a bookshelf on one side, placed there in case he got bored.
'Novels, magazines, and what's this? A comic book?'
The bookshelf was filled with various books from all genres.
As one might expect, the comics caught his eye before the other books. I wonder if there are any children's comics here that would be suitable as an offering to the Moonlight Forest.
[The God of the Moonlight Forest is curious.]
Just then, a message arrived from the God of the Moonlight Forest. Does she really want to read comics?
He thought so, but that wasn't it.
[Are you curious about the Spirit Realm?]
'Hm?'
The power of the blessing still remaining in Jinwoo, like a glass bead, began to glow faintly. It was the bead connected to the divine object of the Moonlight Forest.