Flyers from local chicken shops, Chinese restaurants, grocery stores, or even loan services were occasionally left on the apartment door. Usually, Do-Jun wouldn’t bother with them and would just toss them out immediately. However, this time, he took down the grocery store flyer and read through it carefully. It listed various items on sale, but since he and Karsiel had just stocked up on groceries yesterday, there wasn’t much use for it. Yong-Yong was sitting on Do-Jun’s lap. He grabbed the edge of the dining table and peeked over it. His eyes fixed on the flyer, and after glancing at Do-Jun to gauge his reaction, he cautiously pointed to a specific section with his paw. The flyer announced a one-day, half-off sale on beef for shabu-shabu.[1] When Do-Jun didn’t respond, Yong-Yong grabbed a small notebook from the drawer under the TV and gently placed it over the flyer. He flipped to a page with ten “Great Job!” stamps and once again looked up at Do-Jun, his tail wagging. Do-Jun chuckled softly and glanced toward the living room, where the children had fallen asleep the night before. Although it was already past 8 AM, they were yet to wake up, likely due to their late-night board game session that lasted until three in the morning. “I’ll make lunch today,” Do-Jun said, and Yong-Yong nodded enthusiastically, his grin spreading from ear to ear. “Master, then shall we make a trip to the grocery store together?” “I’ve got things to do.” Do-Jun shook his head and declined. He stood up and started getting ready, slipping on the black coat hanging by the door. Today, he planned to visit the Six Blood Valley. As a tree of life, the World Tree protected the adventurers on the eighth floor of the Core by shielding them from the deadly poison in the Sea of Death and providing its fruits for sustenance. Although its vitality had once diminished due to the Rainbow Bird gnawing at it, it was now gradually recovering. The countless hammocks hanging from the World Tree’s branches swayed gently in the breeze with a soft rustle. Marf, the Monarch of the eighth floor, looked up at the tree as it regained its vibrant green hue. Then, slowly, he turned his attention to the surface of the sea. Like a scene from the Bible where Moses parted the Red Sea, the toxic sea of the Core split into two, revealing a stone staircase descending downward. At the bottom of the stairs loomed a massive dimensional gate with ominous red smoke billowing from it. William, Marf’s second-in-command, approached. “Lord Marf.” “I know.” Marf’s expression hardened as he stared at the gate, which opened only once a year and led to the ninth floor of the Core. He originally planned to lead his entire Blood Alliance to the ninth floor today. “But with the World Tree regaining its strength, there’s no reason to leave,” Marf said. The only reason they once considered venturing onto the ninth floor was the Rainbow Bird’s incessant gnawing of the World Tree. If the tree fell, the poisonous Sea of Death would engulf everyone, leaving no survivors. It would have been a gamble done out of pure desperation for survival. The gate to the ninth floor of the Core radiated an ominous aura. The Six Blood Valley was, as its name indicated, a valley of six bloody paths. To reach the ninth floor, adventurers had to pass through six grueling trials. While this was challenging, Marf believed it was manageable with a well-coordinated team. The real problem lay elsewhere: Laum, the ruler of Six Blood Valley, who also served as the First Legion Commander of the Demon King Baal’s army. Once again, Marf checked the Deep Realm rankings. [Activating the ranking board.] [Opening the Deep Realm rankings.] [Deep Realm Rankings] 1st (Tied): Baal & Imfelheim (-) With a sigh, he thought, No chance we’d beat him. For adventurers who had never entered the Deep Realm, its inhabitants were regarded as freakish monsters. Simply surviving in such an environment, which required immense magic resistance, was an achievement on its own. But Laum went beyond all of that. Ranked third in the Deep Realm, he was an unstoppable force. “We’re staying here,” Marf declared. “Yes, my lord.” William understood fully that venturing onto the ninth floor would be a suicide mission. In the past, before Laum ruled the Six Blood Valley, adventurers often entered and even settled there. But those days were long gone. “Hm?” Marf’s eyes narrowed as he spotted something gleaming in the sky, like a shooting star leaving a trail. A closer look showed it was a person, not a star. Moreover, it was a familiar man. The lone figure descended from the sky, wearing a black coat that billowed in the wind. Do-Jun gently landed on a root of the World Tree. He looked down at the divided sea and the stone staircase that stretched between the two halves. At the end of the path, red smoke billowed, and a portal radiating magical energy loomed. Suddenly, a woman materialized out of nowhere, with a glowing aura shining behind her. “I wasn’t expecting you today,” she said to Do-Jun. “You said today’s my only chance,” Do-Jun replied. “I said that the Six Blood Valley opens just once a year.” Marf, who was watching from the side, glanced at the woman. It didn’t take long for him to realize she was the World Tree. Nervously swallowing, he shifted his gaze to the man standing next to her—a recent arrival on the floor. Introducing himself as Lee Do-Jun, this man had slain Antaras and overpowered the Rainbow Bird, a testament to his monstrous strength as an adventurer. “Are you going to challenge one of Baal’s legion commanders?” the World Tree asked. Those overhearing the conversation, including Marf, were stunned. Do-Jun was undeniably powerful, but could he defeat Laum? Even though it was impossible to say without trying, it seemed highly unlikely. “Challenge him, huh...?” Do-Jun muttered indifferently. Flustered, Marf stammered, “W-wait! Are you serious? He’s ranked third in the entire Deep Realm!” “And yet you’re still going to the Six Blood Valley?” Marf couldn’t comprehend his reasoning. As he examined Do-Jun’s composed expression, a slight flicker of hope arose within him. But that hope quickly disappeared. Marf remembered Laum’s skill from the Core forum and shook his head. The World Tree explained, “Laum possesses a skill that steals the Status Window snakes from his opponent. For adventurers, whose abilities depend on their Status Windows, this makes him their worst possible opponent. If you approach recklessly, he’ll consume you as well.” Marf added, “That’s right! Many adventurers have fallen to him. Laum’s power is already formidable, but that insane skill makes him virtually unbeatable...” Their concern was sincere, particularly the World Tree’s gaze, which showed unease. Do-Jun glanced at her briefly before turning his eyes toward the portal leading to the Six Blood Valley. The World Tree said, “Please wait just three more years. Once I’ve fully restored my strength, I’ll bestow my blessing upon you. With it, you might be able to evade Laum’s skill. I didn’t expect you to head to the Valley so abruptly.” She instinctively understood that Do-Jun was the last hope for adventurers. It had been less than a year since he travelled from Earth to the Core. Yet, his rapid progress enabled him to surpass adventurers who had been here for hundreds or even thousands of years. At first, she thought he might be the master of his dimension, given his abnormal growth—a tale often whispered in legends. But it eventually became clear that he was “just” a human. “You speak as if I’m going to die,” Do-Jun remarked. There wasn’t a hint of fear in his expression. The natural human emotion of “fear” was absent from his eyes. Chapters first released on novel-fire.ɴet “Of course, I acknowledge your strength, but the skill matchup—” “Thank you for your concern,” Do-Jun interjected, cutting off the World Tree. He shrugged and stepped toward the stone staircase leading to the Six Blood Valley. The World Tree realized that nothing she could say would stop him. She decided to provide him with at least some safety. “W-wait, take this!” A radiant light flickered in her palm, and she handed him a leaf, small enough to fit in one hand, glowing with a brilliant hue. “Use it in an emergency, and it will bring you back to the eighth floor immediately.” Do-Jun accepted it. It was no ordinary leaf but a consumable artifact. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Do-Jun tucked the leaf into his pocket, then calmly descended the long staircase. Glancing at his wristwatch, he checked the time. He had to be home by lunch. I’ve got about three hours. That was plenty of time. In fact, it was way more than enough. As Do-Jun descended, the divided sea began to close in. By the time he reached the portal, the gap had narrowed to just enough for a single person to squeeze through. Once he stepped in, the sea returned to its original state, and the crimson portal disappeared. The World Tree gently closed her eyes and folded her hands in a prayer. The other adventurers did the same. You can come back right away, so please, just... They prayed fervently for his safety, hoping he wouldn’t meet his end. Fierce winds howled with a whoosh, and pools of bright red blood dotted the landscape. The sky was tinged with a sunset-like hue, though it was even redder. True to its name, the Six Blood Valley was soaked in crimson. The bracelet wrapped around Do-Jun’s wrist transformed into a living creature—a small, white-scaled snake. It hadn’t taken on any distinct color yet. Suddenly, with a loud boom, lightning struck in the distance, splitting trees in half and setting them ablaze. The sound of a horse’s neigh echoed from the sky as it descended from above, its body crackling with intense currents. Someone sat upon its electrified saddle. The horse landed with a rhythmic clop, and the rider quickly checked Do-Jun’s Status Window Snake. Colorless. In other words, no attributes had been applied. The man, Laum, smirked, confident that if this man was an adventurer, there was no way he could lose. Without hesitation, Laum activated his Plunder skill on Do-Jun. Huh? The adventurer’s Status Window Snake didn’t respond. Even after several attempts, Laum couldn’t steal it. Despite being an ordinary adventurer, without the Blessing of the Deep Realm, Do-Jun’s Status Window Snake remained unaffected. 1. Shabu-shabu is Japanese hotpot! ☜