CHAPTER 16: CHAPTER 16: SECRET ZONE, ABANDONED TEMPLE OF FATE

[You have entered the "Abandoned Temple of Fate"]

[Lives loss rate: 100]

[Description: An abandoned temple previously dedicated to the "God of Fate", some believers still remain inside, corrupted and turned into monsters.]

---

’God of Fate,’ Stark’s eyes narrowed, a glint flashing in them. ’I remember the [Authority of Oblivion] mentioned that the [God of Oblivion] was feared by the others...’

If that was true, then the God of Fate had to be one of those beings.

And this temple, though abandoned, still carried that lingering presence.

This place was the hardest zone on the entire [Novice Continent].

That continent alone contained tens of thousands of novice towns players were in.

And this was the most dangerous zone in all of them.

Backing away wasn’t an option. He was already inside.

And here, death meant losing one hundred lives.

Almost nobody could afford that right now.

But Stark wasn’t worried.

He still had the [Revenant Bell], which would prevent him from losing any lives.

To him, the threat was far less terrifying than it would be for anyone else.

The entrance was a tight cave, damp and oppressive.

Stark walked through the dark passage for a long stretch, the silence only broken by his own footsteps.

Eventually, ahead in the distance, a faint light flickered.

The rough cave walls gradually transformed into carefully carved stone.

Strange symbols and faded murals decorated them, etched deep into the surface.

Stark slowed, brushing his hand across one of the carvings.

He had never seen anything like it before.

But without any knowledge of their meaning, he dismissed it and pressed forward.

Finally, he reached a small, narrow gate.

Passing through it, he stepped into a massive chamber.

The chamber was well constructed, ancient but still solid.

In the center stood a stone altar, tall and imposing, while multiple passageways branched out into deeper sections of the temple.

But what drew Stark’s focus were the two figures kneeling before the altar.

---

[Corrupted Fate Believer (Level 10)]

[Rank: Rare]

[HP: 15,000]

---

Two monsters, each with a massive health pool.

Just one of them was enough to overwhelm the average player.

Both were kneeling, their hands raised toward the altar, muttering in low voices that echoed eerily through the chamber.

Their bodies were ragged, clothes in tatters, and their eyes, completely black, with glowing purple pupils, radiated a sense of madness.

"..." Stark watched silently for a few seconds.

Then, without hesitation, he made his move.

Vine Smash!

The ground cracked as a thick vine shot upward, slamming into the two corrupted believers.

-3,530! -3,530!

The attack tore chunks of their health away, nearly a fifth in one strike.

Both believers stumbled, snapping their heads toward him.

Their twisted eyes locked onto Stark, and in that instant, their bodies trembled violently.

["Corrupted Fate Believers" have entered a "Berserk" state.]

"What?" Stark muttered, quickly pulling back just as one believer lunged at him with razor-sharp claws.

Normally, monsters only went berserk when enraged or at the brink of death.

But these two had gone berserk the very moment they looked at him.

’Is it because of the [Authority of Oblivion]?’ he thought grimly.

A fireball formed in his hand, blazing with heat.

Scorching Fireball!

Boom!

-4,080! -4,080!

The explosion rocked the chamber, flames bursting across the believers’ bodies.

Their health plummeted again, but instead of slowing, their madness only grew.

If it were any other player, just one of these berserk believers would have been enough to end them instantly.

But Stark had the stats, the gear, and the experience to survive.

’I can’t afford to waste time.’

One believer leapt high, claws gleaming as it dove toward him.

Magic Barrier!

The barrier flared into existence just in time.

CRASH!

The impact cracked, but it bought Stark the split-second he needed to hurl a [Toxic Crystal] forward.

Poison mist spread instantly, eating away at the believer’s health.

But before he could follow up, the second believer was already upon him, claws swinging.

’Not today...’

Fwish! Clang!

Stark braced his staff, deflecting the strike.

The impact jolted through his arms, but the [Revenant Staff] was sturdy enough to handle it.

’A mage isn’t supposed to block attacks like this. But if I’m aiming to fight as a battle-mage, then I’d better start acting like one.’

Being a mage usually meant launching spells from afar.

But Stark knew very well there were some powerful spells that allowed for close-range battles.

Mages were extremely versatile, but as one might expect, these spells cost a lot of MP, and had huge cooldowns.

He shoved the believer back, then unleashed a chain of spells in rapid succession.

Toxic Crystal! Vine Smash! Scorching Fireball!

The combined assault tore through their weakened forms.

With a final shriek, both believers collapsed, their corrupted bodies disintegrating into motes of black mist.

Ding!

---

[You have killed "Corrupted Fate Believers (Level 10)"]

[You have gained 3,600 experience points.]

[You have gained 1 Evolution Point.]

[You have gained 18 Lives]

---

"Good," Stark grinned, "I should be able to get to level 10 soon."

Hand of Avarice!

A dark spectral hand emerged from his staff, wrapping around the believers’ remains.

Ding!

[You have obtained 13 Lives.]

[You have gained 1 Evolution Point!]

"Oh?" Stark’s eyes widened. "That’s better than I expected."

The monsters hadn’t dropped items, but he still came away with two evolution points.

That was worth more than loot to him.

Still, his mind returned to their strange behavior.

The way they had gone berserk just from looking at him...

"God of Oblivion," Stark muttered under his breath, ’Oh well.’

The temple wasn’t going to give him time to dwell on it.

Without hesitation, he advanced deeper.

Zones like this were built as labyrinths.

Long corridors twisted endlessly, forcing players to explore until they stumbled upon the exit.

At the very end would be a boss.

And the more dangerous the zone, the greater the rewards that boss would drop.

In his past life, Stark didn’t remember anyone clearing the [Abandoned Temple of Fate] in his novice town.

The risk of losing one hundred lives had been far too high.

Almost nobody had dared to try.

But this time, he would.

He turned a corner, the shadows pressing close around him.

And almost immediately—

"Ah, shit."

A group of corrupted believers was already charging his way, their bodies trembling as they entered berserk the moment they sensed his presence.

’So it really is the [Authority of Oblivion]... these things are reacting to me on sight.’

Stark sighed, raising his staff as his mana flared.

Scorching Fireball!

The blazing sphere hurtled forward, exploding in the narrow hallway and engulfing the believers in flames.

"This god really must’ve pissed off the others," Stark muttered as his grip tightened.

The thought drifted back to the panel he had seen when first obtaining the [Authority of Oblivion].

---

[Authority of Oblivion: A power sealed by the gods as they feared that its wielder, the "God of Oblivion", was too strong, its power surpasses anything in the universe, though you are not capable of wielding it yet.]

---

He still couldn’t use it, but it seemed like its influence was already showing in his new life.