Chapter 16: The Supreme Shop and the Impossible Challenge
Alex finally accessed the Supreme Shop, eager to see what it offered. However, as he scrolled through the listings, he was shocked—the shop sold talents. Though they were limited to Silver rank and below, the fact that one could purchase a talent was unbelievable. A talent could change a person's entire life, yet here they were, available for sale.
However, Alex quickly refocused. He wasn't here for talents—he needed a weapon or skill that could help him grow stronger. As he searched, a particular Bronze-ranked skill caught his attention. Before he could even think, he instinctively felt drawn to it.
The skill's name was The Sword of Chaos.
Something inside him urged him to purchase it. Though he wasn't sure why, he decided to trust his instincts and bought the skill.
Continuing his search, Alex found a Bronze-ranked sword—the Chaos Sword. Strangely, the sword also reacted to his newly acquired skill. Without hesitation, he bought it as well.
Only then did he realize why no one had purchased these items before—their names were overly dramatic, just like many others in the shop. Even the so-called "Misusual Sword" was sitting unsold. But now, Alex understood—there was something special about these Chaos-related items.
Wanting to find more, he scoured the shop for anything else related to Chaos. Yet, after a thorough search, he found nothing.
With that, he moved on to something else.
Alex decided to buy two servants to manage his living space. He purchased a robotic maid and a robotic butler.
The maid was responsible for cleaning, cooking, and household maintenance.
The butler managed everything else, ensuring his home ran smoothly.
When he closed the Supreme Shop, two figures materialized before him.
To his surprise, they looked entirely human. They spoke and behaved like real people rather than artificial constructs. The maid, in particular, was incredibly beautiful—if she existed on Earth, she could have been a top model. Meanwhile, the butler had the refined appearance of an old-school English gentleman.
Both immediately addressed him as "Master."
Alex frowned. "Call me Sir instead," he instructed.
The two bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
Just as he finished, Alex noticed a book in his hands—the skill book for The Sword of Chaos. A prompt appeared, allowing him to use it.
The moment he did, something unexpected happened.
At first, the skill granted him a 1% strength increase. It seemed underwhelming for a Bronze-ranked skill. However, before he could be disappointed, the skill mutated.
It transformed into a unique piece of equipment—a bound weapon only he could use.
The new effect? Instead of a simple 1% strength increase, it now granted a staggering 1000% boost to his strength while fighting. And the stronger he became, the higher this multiplier would grow.
Alex was stunned. This was no longer just a skill—it was a game-changer.
Next, he turned his attention to the Chaos Sword weapon. Initially, it granted a 0.1% strength increase attack power, which seemed insignificant. But just like the skill, the sword mutated.
Its new effect:
Each successful attack increased his strength based on the damage dealt.
After a fight ended, he retained half of the accumulated increase.
For example, if he gained 10% strength in a single battle, he would permanently keep 5% even after combat ended.
Since the Supreme Battlefield was filled with countless battles, he could potentially stack his strength infinitely.
A satisfied grin appeared on Alex's face. This was exactly what he needed.
As Alex prepared to rest, a global notification suddenly appeared.
[The Observer has deemed a month of fighting too boring.]
[A new challenge has been introduced.]
A new difficulty system was being implemented. Players could increase their difficulty for greater rewards—but also greater danger. If they died, they would die permanently.
The difficulty options were as follows:
Beginner
Regular
Hard
Very Hard
Difficult
Nightmare
Hell
Impossible
Alex scanned the list. The most logical choice would be Hell difficulty—the highest difficulty most people would dare attempt. But Alex was different.
He selected "Impossible."
The POV shifted to Celestina.
She, too, saw the notification. After careful thought, she chose Hell difficulty—one step below Impossible.
A second notification appeared for those who had selected the higher difficulties:
[Hell Difficulty: Monsters will be 2 levels higher than the challenger.]
[Impossible Difficulty: Monsters will be 5 levels higher than the challenger.]
Tension filled the battlefield.
Those who had chosen Hell braced themselves for an overwhelming fight.
Those who had chosen Impossible...
They had just declared war on something far beyond their level.
As the countdown began, the battlefield grew silent.
Everyone knew—this fight would determine who truly belonged at the top.
Chapter 16 End.