Ch-33. **The Crow King**
—-
**Dimension Warriors.**
Heroes protecting the world from attacks by other dimensions!
Since their emergence, the world has been plunged into unprecedented shock and fear.
Monsters appearing out of nowhere and individuals transforming into “superhumansâDescent”!
Their arrival brought overwhelming cheers and concerns, and a deep mistrust of the future drove the global economy to collapse, fueling countless conspiracy theories treated as truths.
Naturally, internet communities related to these phenomena sprang up everywhere.
But among them, one achieved explosive global growth:
**The Dimensional Community.**
Within just one month, this colossal community reached 1 billion total visitsâa record-breaking achievement.
The secret to the rapid rise of *The Dimensional Community* lay in its active participation by many Dimension Warriors themselves.
—
**-Warriors! Will the world really end? (Lv.0 monsters)**
**-As long as we exist, that will not happen. (W.VV Master)**
**-Is it true that you can see status windows like in games? (Lv.0 Halzen)**
**-Korea sure has interesting ideas, perhaps because it’s a gaming powerhouse? (W.8 Sera)**
**-How many Dimension Warriors are active in this community? (Lv.0 Pelltra)**
**-There are 53 of us actively working together. (W.V DarkStar)**
**-Whoâs the strongest Warrior in the world? (Lv.0 Angel15)**
**-Of course, itâs Master, the owner of this community! (W.8 Sera)**
Prominent Dimension Warriors were personally active in the Dimensional Community, answering questions directly.
The âWâ prefix in usernames indicated âWarrior,â with the following numbers or letters closely tied to their rank or level.
These Warriors provided advanced warnings of impending threats and detailed guidance on how to handle situations involving monster appearances.
Governments worldwide eventually began endorsing the Dimensional Community, as no nation was equipped to confront the “unknown.”
However, this was limited to the *public* sections of the site.
—
**For high-ranking officials and global elites, there existed special VIP accounts.**
Upon logging in, these accounts granted access to hidden boards.
– *Monsters of Other Dimensions*
– *Special Dimensional Artifacts*
– *Elixir Auctions*
– *Prophetâs Journal (VIP.7)*
The VIP accounts themselves were ranked, with access to specific boards restricted by level.
Among these, the most popular board was the **Elixir Auction.**
Elixirs, capable of healing all wounds and even regenerating damaged nerves or limbs depending on their grade, garnered explosive interest.
Called the “elixir of immortality,” these items were the foundation of the Dimensional Community’s growth and influence.
As for the *Prophet’s Journal,* it contained records of major future events and was accessible only to heads of state or equivalent leaders.
Even higher than this tier were the rarest privileges: direct communication with the community’s owner, Master. Only five individuals worldwide, including the U.S. president, held this access.
But even the highest VIP levels could not access one section:
—
**The Warriors’ Board.**
Accessible only to 53 carefully selected, thoroughly vetted warriors, this exclusive board featured:
– *Wanted List (+New!)*
– *Unified Coalition Forum (+New!)*
– *Class-Based Talent Development*
– *Recommended Hunting Grounds by Level*
– *Research Notes on Talent and Stat Correlations*
– *Main Quest Strategies and Analysis*
– *Discovered Hidden Traits (+New!)*
—
**Click.**
Master, the community’s owner and top-ranking warrior, navigated to the board.
**-*Wanted List*-**
– Totem Shaman Banyaq (Danger Level 3) / Eliminated
– Bloodfiend Wei Zhang (Danger Level 4) / Eliminated
– Maniacal Slaughterer (Danger Level 6) / Ongoing
– Brainstormer Isaac (Danger Level 7) / Ongoing
– Dragonslayer Balmusch (Danger Level 9) / Ongoing
– Phantom Randolph (Danger Level 10) / Capture Alive
Nearly 100 individuals were listed, all deemed high risks to both the real world and *Pangenia*âa game-like dimension.
âBanyaq has been dealt with.â
Though not a major threat, his loose tongue warranted his inclusion on the list to prevent him from revealing secrets about the Warriors’ origins in Pangenia to the public.
âEverything else is unchanged,â Master muttered as he clicked through other boards.
—
**-*Discovered Hidden Traits (+New!)-***
– Void
– Dexterity
– Weapon Master
– Beast Lord
– Giantâs Magic Resistance
– Golden Grace
– Glutton
Among the six known hidden traits discovered over five years, a new one had been added:
**Glutton.**
Masterâs eyes sparkled with interest.
—
Hidden traits were abilities transcending level growth, granting incredible power.
“Even among transcendents of the same star rating, differences exist depending on whether they possess a hidden trait.”
Exaggerating slightly, a single hidden trait was equivalent to a star.
The power and authority granted by a hidden trait were immense, almost divine in nature.
This was because it had been revealed that, unlike ordinary talents, hidden traits also “grow” as one’s level rises and transcendence progresses.
Thus, for top-ranking players, having knowledge about hidden traits was essential.
“One could even acquire new talents and awaken hidden traits through privileges.”
While talents could be awakened using SP when creating a character, most players were thrust into the game without possessing even a few basic talents.
However, this didn’t mean that talents could never be acquired.
Talents could be awakened through training, hunting, or special elixirs.
But even this method had its limits on the number of talents that could be obtained.
The most reliable way to awaken talents was by earning privileges through progressing in the main quest.
“To do so, one must thoroughly understand the talent tech tree necessary for unlocking hidden traits.”
However, as the term “hidden trait” suggests, there was very little information about which talents needed to be awakened to unlock them.
This place was a forum dedicated to sharing information about the “talent tech tree” and uses for obtaining hidden traits.
It was a board that even top-ranking players like Master couldn’t help but obsess over.
Realistically, it was impossible to unlock every talent.
Even top-ranking players only managed to acquire a few dozen talents at most.
Yet, the total number of talents reached into the hundreds.
*Click!*
**<Glutton>**
– The most useless hidden trait among those known.
– A trait that allows one to “devour” the core of an “evolved” boss monster to obtain its characteristics.
– The problem lies in the simultaneous progression of the monster’s poison and mental corruption.
– Experiments conducted on an individual with this hidden trait showed a reaction to an evolved boss monster’s core. Upon devouring it, the subject succumbed to madness and died within half a day.
– Although the subject’s body partially transformed and acquired some traits of the boss monster, complete transformation was not achieved.
– The poison from the monster seemed to grow stronger and more evolved upon devouring, making it too toxic even for a transcendent’s body to endure.
– Similarly, mental corruption could not be withstood even when the skill *”Wall of Mental Fortitude”* was maxed out.
– It is believed that the hidden trait manifests when talents such as *”Health,” “Constitution,” “Endurance,” “Fire,” “Darkness,” “Void,” “Adaptability,” “Taste,” “Sensory Perception,”* and *”Expressiveness”* are all maxed out.
Master frowned.
“So, even among hidden traits, thereâs trash like this.”
A hidden trait that inevitably kills its possessor.
Moreover, the number of talents required to unlock it was absurd.
Some of those talents seemed entirely unnecessary.
It was an overwhelming burden to develop such talents just to manifest a hidden trait of uncertain utility.
“Tsk.”
Master shook his head and turned off the computer.
He considered the entire experience a waste of time.
—
—
—
.
**<The potent poison of the “Corpse Crow Core” you devoured is shattered by “Giant’s Resistance.”>**
**<The curse and intense mental corruption of the “Corpse Crow Core” are nullified by “The Iron-Blooded Monarch’s Heart.”>**
**<The dominion of the evolved trait increases due to “Beast Lord.”>**
**<Transformation and adaptation are completed through “Mutation.”>**
**<The “Glutton” trait has evolved into “King of Corpse Crows.”>**
I slowly looked down at my body.
Black feathers and a sharp beak protruded outward.
“Iâve become a Corpse Crow.”
Now, I was a Corpse Crow.
Wherever I looked, I was nothing but a Corpse Crow.
“So, this is the *Glutton* trait, huh?”
*Glutton*âa hidden trait that had never been successfully manifested until now.
While no one had known the conditions for its manifestation, it seemed the “evolved core” was the key.
But to think it would allow such a perfect transformation. It was far more complete than anything a shapeshifter could mimic. I was now truly the Corpse Crow itself.
**”King of Corpse Crows.”**
And not just any ordinary Corpse Crow.
I touched my head and felt a small crown resting on it.
Through evolution, I had become a king.
Monsters with the title “King” were of an entirely different caliber compared to ordinary boss monsters.
“Related skills also appeared.”
For example, advanced skills unique to the Corpse Crow could now be used.
**<You use “Summon Corpse Crow.”>**
**<The number summoned depends on your divine power.>**
I activated one of the skills: *Summon Corpse Crow.*
*Caw! Caw!*
Two Corpse Crows burst from my chest and circled around me.
These were boss-level Corpse Crows, slightly larger than ordinary crows.
The summoning of these boss monsters was a privilege granted only to the king.
Satisfied with my summons, I glanced down slowly.
“This core is the medium for my transformation.”
Embedded in my chest like Iron Manâs arc reactor was a purple core.
It seemed that if this core were destroyed, my transformation would end. Conversely, as long as it remained intact, I could maintain this form or revert at will.
“…!”
Isabellaâs eyes were trembling with shock as she stared at me.
“Itâs not dangerous, *caw.*”
“Holy One… is that truly you?”
“Itâs me, *caw.* Traveling to Crandel has become much easier, *caw.*”
Why was I cawing at the end of every sentence?
No matter how hard I tried, I couldnât stop myself. It didnât feel right to end a sentence without a *caw.*
Isabella, still looking unsettled, hesitantly spoke.
“Are you planning to head to Crandel… in that form?”
“Youâre coming too, *caw.*”
*Clatter!*
Isabella glanced at the equipment I dropped and tilted her head.
“Isnât this your Holy saint gear?”
“Itâs the Michela Set, *caw.* Wearing all three grants the wings of a Sky Dragon, *caw.*”
Ah. This was maddening.
In any case, my plan to infiltrate Crandel was straightforward.
The Michela Setâs Sky Dragon effect served as a hidden ticket to enter Crandel.
However, now that I was the “King of Corpse Crows,” I no longer needed the Sky Dragon effect.
“Letâs go, *caw.*”
*Caw!*
*Caw!*
The two summoned Corpse Crows cawed alongside me.
“…”
Isabella watched me with a look of indescribable complexity.
—
Using the *Mutation* trait, I walked along a hidden path in the dungeon for half a day and eventually encountered a large, bipedal rat wearing a black helmet.
**ăLv. 8ă**
This rat was also an evolved boss monster.
“Hmm? This path is supposed to be visible only to ‘Guides.'”
The monster rat raised its claws in suspicion.
Had it noticed that I was human?
But the tense situation didnât last long.
Upon getting a closer look at me and Isabella, the monster rat immediately lowered its claws.
“Oh! My apologies. My eyesight isnât very good. To think youâre the ‘King of Corpse Crows’ and a ‘Half-Dragon.’ How incredibly rare⊠Are you both heading to Crandel?”
“Thatâs correct, *caw.*”
“Please follow me. If you take the wrong path, you might end up in the ‘Abyss.'”
The transformation into a monster was a success.
Even the Guide couldnât tell the difference. This was proof that I had become a perfect King of Corpse Crows.
Soon, the monster rat Guide took the lead, guiding us toward Crandel.
