You have selected God's Atlantis.
Initiating Game.
I entered the world of God's Atlantis.
Having completed the tutorial, I was now in a shelter. In about thirty minutes, I would be able to enter Atlantis's First District.
First, I checked my body.
It feels lighter and my senses are sharper than in reality.
This was because my avatar in God's Atlantis was stronger than my real-world self.
While I was still infinitely weaker than the powerhouses of the Atlantis Continent, among the exiles who had completed the tutorial, I was likely the strongest even including the protagonist.
I moved my slightly awkward body, trying to get used to it. Once I felt somewhat comfortable, I spoke into the empty air.
"King of the Demonic Heavens, I have a question."
The King of the Demonic Heavens is showing interest in you.
The Fallen Star is showing interest in you.
Fallen Star.
A Divine Throne that appeared in the original work and was detailed in the setting guide.
Its true name is Lucifer.
A clear embodiment of evil, he delights in exploiting the exiled.
For now, there's no need to concern myself with him. Though Lucifer's status is formidable, it still falls slightly short of Zeus, the Lord of the Heavens, with whom I have a contract. Lucifer has no choice but to defer to Zeus's judgment.
Ignoring the Fallen Star, I opened my mouth.
"What is the Demonic Heavenly Art you gave me?"
If even the author, who could be considered the creator of God's Atlantis, doesn't know, and it's not detailed in the setting guide, I have no choice but to ask directly.
This was the fastest and easiest way. The problem was that I couldn't trust the King of the Demonic Heavens.
The King of the Demonic Heavens is watching you.
"Did you tamper with the Demonic Heavenly Art?"
The King of the Demonic Heavens is surprised.
The King of the Demonic Heavens laughs.
I waited, expecting him to say more. But as time passed, there was no further response.
"What did you do to the Demonic Heavenly Art you gave me?"
The King of the Demonic Heavens donates 1,000 AP.
[ "I did nothing," ] the King of the Demonic Heavens replied in a young girl's voice. I frowned.
"I felt a strange sensation when I used the Demonic Heavenly Art earlier."
The King of the Demonic Heavens tilts his head.
The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 1,000 AP.
"The Demonic Heavenly Art I bestowed upon you has been transferred to you as a skill through the System. From that moment onward, the Demonic Heavenly Art can no longer harm you."
His voice was rough. No, the King of the Demonic Heavens' voice wasn't what mattered right now.
My pupils trembled. I had realized that the Demonic Heavenly Art registered in the System and granted to me was different from the Demonic Heavenly Art I had cultivated alone in reality without the System's assistance.
"...If one masters the Demonic Heavenly Art without the System's power, could there be side effects? I mean, when I transmit the Demonic Heavenly Art to others."
The King of the Demonic Heavens acknowledges your statement.
The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 1,000 AP.
"The Demonic Heavenly Art is a Demonic Art. It grants immense power, but each use gradually erodes your mind and alters your temperament. Since the Demonic Heavenly Art is registered as a skill and protected by the System, you don't need to fear it."
"Then is there no way to avoid it? If I gain subordinates, I might have to teach them the Demonic Heavenly Art."
The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 1,000 AP.
"The only way to overcome it is through mental fortitude. And teaching the Demonic Heavenly Art to others is not a wise decision."
"..."
I glared at the notification window floating before me.
There was one flaw in the King of the Demonic Heavens' words.
The Demonic Heavenly Art had gone berserk even though I hadn't actively tried to use it in the real world.
"What level of mental strength are we talking about?"
The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 1,000 AP.
"Well, I don't know much about human mental strength."
"...Understood."
I barely managed to reply, suppressing the urge to curse.
As expected, the King of the Demonic Heavens is a treacherous bastard.
Did the King of the Demonic Heavens lie about everything?
Probably not. He's clearly no ordinary man. Skilled liars hide their falsehoods within truths. Most of what he said is likely true.
The only way to overcome this is through mental strength. That part is probably true.
My instincts tell me so.
During my previous fight with Eun Sangmin, when the Demonic Heavenly Art went berserk, I felt as if my mind had been possessed by something, only for it to suddenly clear in an instant.
It wasn't just the Demonic Heavenly Art's rampage ending; something else was at work.
I pulled my smartphone from my pocket and opened the Pleasure World App. There was only one thing I could think of.
Mental Resistance Lv.3
Grants resistance to mental abnormalities. Provides resistance against mental interference.
Resistance against mental interference...
The King of the Demonic Heavens clearly had no intention of giving me a proper answer about the Demonic Heavenly Art.
And I couldn't simply erase my memories of the Demonic Heavenly Art. All I could do was rely on my Mental Resistance Unique Trait.
I should definitely level up my Mental Resistance. I'll do it as soon as I earn enough points.
I considered returning to reality immediately but decided against it.
Since I was already in this world, I figured I might as well savor the tastes of Yu Seohee and Ju Seohyun's vaginas, make some progress with them, earn some points, and then return to reality.
Heh heh. It's not bad to enjoy the power of this body, which is far stronger than my real one.
Crack! Crack!
Thunderbolts crackled in my palm. I could use them far more quickly and easily than in reality.
Fallen Star gazes at you with curious eyes.
I completely ignored Fallen Star. Unable to contain its curiosity, Fallen Star even sponsored me to ask:
Fallen Star has donated 1,000 AP.
"What's your connection to the King of the Demonic Heavens? Huh? Tell me!"
Fallen Star asked me in the voice of an innocent young boy. The voice alone conjured the image of an incredibly cute boy.
Judging a Divine Throne by their voice alone is madness.
You can't underestimate a Divine Throne based on their donations.
Many Divine Thrones conceal their true nature and maintain a carefully crafted persona.
"I have no reason to tell you."
Fallen Star has donated 1,000 AP.
"Aww, that's stingy! I'm even donating! Just tell me!"
"You expect me to tell you for a mere 1,000 AP? You have no conscience."
Fallen Star has donated 10,000 AP.
"There, satisfied? Tell me!"
"..."
I lay on the floor and closed my eyes.
Fallen Star has donated 1,000 AP.
"Hey! Hey! Just tell me! Why are you closing your eyes? Don't tell me I got tricked by a human! Hey!"
Even though Fallen Star seemed clueless, I couldn't let my guard down.
It was highly likely this was all just a show to deceive me.
Lucifer appeared in the latter half of the original story. Is this before his complete fall from grace?
I couldn't be certain.
Either way, Lucifer is a notorious demon spawn, so there's no harm in staying vigilant.
You have entered Atlantis.
Atlantis welcomes you.
As soon as the System's welcome message ended, my surroundings shifted.
I found myself standing in a vast chamber. The interior was lit by candles hanging on the walls, and the ceiling was adorned with what appeared to be sacred murals, though I couldn't quite make out the details.
A group of people in white priestly robes had gathered around me. Each robe bore the emblem of a balanced scale.
Just like in the novel. I've arrived at the right place.
An elderly man approached me.
"Welcome to the Chapel of Beginnings, First District of Atlantis. I am Archbishop Edson of the Hundredfold Balance Society," he said with a kind smile.
The Hundredfold Balance Society.
The Hundredfold Balance Society is a religious organization that operates the Chapel of Beginnings, the First District of Atlantis. They boast the largest following in Atlantis and serve as mediators in all kinds of disputes, resolving conflicts across the city.
The Divine Throne they worship is "Blindfolded Justice."
"I'm Sung Yujin," I said.
"Yes, Mr. Sung Yujin. Your sudden appearance here must have raised many questions. We'll explain everything, but for now, please cooperate with us. We have no intention of harming you."
"I trust you," I replied with a nod.
The Chapel of Beginnings, the First District of Atlantis, is one of the safest and most peaceful areas in the city. I had no intention of provoking conflict with the Hundredfold Balance Society, one of Atlantis's most influential factions, right from the start.
Where could Yu Seohee and Ju Seohyun be?
The Chapel of Beginnings in the First District.
Exiles who have completed the tutorial are summoned to the center of the chapel to begin their lives in Atlantis.
The Chapel of Beginnings is operated by the Hundredfold Balance Society. As part of their agreement with the System, they are obligated to explain Atlantis to the new exiles. In exchange, the Society receives operational rights over the First District and AP.
If I complete the two-week training here, I'll receive basic equipment and 100,000 Pennies.
Exiles can choose not to undergo the training, but doing so forfeits the basic equipment and 100,000 Pennies. Pennies are the currency used in Atlantis, with 100,000 Pennies roughly equivalent to one million Korean won.
"And upon graduation, you might receive an invitation to join a Legion."
Legions are similar to Hunter Guilds in the real world. Legions with a certain level of skill control one of the 10,000 districts in Atlantis.
Hmm. Should I create my own Legion or join a famous one?
Either option would work for me. After all, I have Zeus, the Lord of the Heavens, backing me.
As I walked down the corridor toward the dormitory, I stopped abruptly. I had run into a short-haired man with a stern expression Kang Myungjin, the protagonist of the original story.
Beside Kang Myungjin stood a short-haired woman in a school uniform Lee Minjung. According to the original story, she would have received Kang Myungjin's help during the tutorial.
"Myungjin oppa, why did you stop so suddenly?"
Kang Myungjin didn't respond to Lee Minjung's question, instead staring intently at me. His widened eyes betrayed his shock.
Lee Minjung noticed Kang Myungjin's gaze and turned to me with a wary expression.
That bastard. He's using Dragon Eye to peek at my Status Window.
Dragon Eye.
Kang Myungjin's S-Rank Unique Trait granted him the ability to secretly view other people's Status Windows.
Name: Sung Yujin
Class: Thunderclap Slayer
Title: Capitalist
Divine Throne: Lord of the Heavens
Affiliation: AL 401 District
Strength: 26 Agility: 24 Stamina: 27 Mana: 46 Luck: 20
Unique Trait: Barter (S)
Trait: Thunderbolt (A)
Skills: Astrape (C), Manroe (C)
This is the Status Window Kang Myungjin is currently viewing.
I could have used Deception to hide some of my stats, but I didn't. I didn't see any need to. The only thing I concealed was my Unique Trait. Having the Deception (SS) Unique Trait alone would make me immediately suspicious.
Kang Myungjin is a nobody. There's no need for me to hide my stats while worrying about what a nobody thinks.
He won't be able to see my Heavenly Demon Status Window. I plan to keep that hidden at all costs.
Kang Myungjin will probably be confused. I'm from the same place as him Earth and the Lord of the Heavens is supposed to contract with someone else, a Divine Throne whose name he's never heard of in the original story.
From Kang Myungjin's perspective, I'm an Irregular.
And this Irregular was even stronger than me.
A good idea just struck me. For this Game, why not just ride the protagonist's coattails?
The original story ultimately revolves around the protagonist. To profit from the original work's information, it's best to stay close to him.
Plus, being the protagonist, he's bound to attract a ton of beautiful women.
I glanced at Lee Minjung. Her chest was only an A-cup, but her face and proportions were stunning. No wonder she's one of the heroines in the original story.
"Is there something on my face?" I asked Kang Myungjin.
Kang Myungjin snapped out of his daze.
"...I apologize. You resemble someone I know, and I was staring without realizing it."
"Ah, that happens. I'm Sung Yujin. I just arrived from Atlantis."
"I'm Kang Myungjin. And this is..."
"I'm Lee Minjung," she said, gripping Kang Myungjin's arm and eyeing me warily.
I smiled and pulled a chocolate bar from my pocket. I'd put it there earlier, intending to eat some myself and give the rest to Yu Seohee.
"Since we've met, I'll give you this as a gift."
"You don't have to," Kang Myungjin protested, but I pressed the snack into his hand.
"It's fine, go ahead and eat it. I've had so much I'm getting tired of it."
"...I'm surprised you had something like this on you."
"Yeah, it just happened to be there. Well, I'm tired, so I'll head back to the dorm now."
I brushed past Kang Myungjin and walked toward the dorm.
Kang Myungjin would likely notice that the chocolate wrapper was suspiciously clean.
He's probably figured out roughly what my Unique Trait, Barter, is all about.
The chocolate was bait I'd tossed to Kang Myungjin.