Chapter 401: 81st Floor, Advanced Magic (1) |
[Kang Jun-hyeok [Solo]]: She’s changed a bit... Her way of speaking, her attitude… Did you give her some item or skill or something?
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: If I were giving anything, I would’ve given it to you as well. Her changes have nothing to do with me.
Although Taesan had delivered Maria’s floral ornament, it was merely a medium to help her recover her memories. The reason for her change lay within herself.
[Kang Jun-hyeok [Solo]]: Descending quickly isn’t bad, but… it’s a bit worrisome. What if something major happens?
Jun-hyeok’s words carried a mix of anxiety and concern.
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: There won’t be any big problems. I’ll take care of it, so don’t worry too much.
[Kang Jun-hyeok [Solo]]: Okay, thanks, hyung.
Ending his conversation with Jun-hyeok, Taesan turned back to message Lee Taeyeon. After some time, she responded to the conversation.
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: Oh, sorry. I was fighting a boss, so I couldn’t check.
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: Floor 55.
What kind of monster was on the 55th floor? It had been cleared so quickly that Taesan barely remembered. Delving into his memory, he recalled it.
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: If I recall correctly, it was a monster that interfered with the mind.
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: Yeah, but I’ve cleared Solo Mode, so mental challenges aren’t an issue.
Taeyeon had indeed cleared the labyrinth using unconventional methods, showing moments of mental weakness. However, that weakness stemmed from her inner struggles and self-deprecation. Her mental fortitude itself was far beyond that of a typical adventurer. Now that her memories had returned, it was unlikely she’d succumb to the mental interference of an ordinary monster.
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: Aren’t you descending too fast?
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: I’m fine. I already know all the floors. Clearing them isn’t difficult. The Gods’ trials were somewhat tough… but still manageable.
Taeyeon had approached each floor with full dedication, ensuring her memory of the levels was clear.
With the experience and knowledge gained from clearing deeper levels, she could undoubtedly progress without major issues.
Still, Taesan hadn’t expected her to hurry like this. Rushing through the labyrinth offered no benefits.
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: Why are you descending so quickly?
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: I can’t just leave you alone.
Taesan froze for a moment.
After a brief silence, Taesan replied.
[Kang Taesan [Solo]]: I’m fine on my own.
[Lee Taeyeon [Solo]]: I know. This is just for my own satisfaction.
After talking a little more with her, Taesan closed the community.
He felt odd.
If someone were on the verge of clearing the labyrinth, he would’ve advised them to wait, gather strength, and clear it with everyone else.
Then, he planned to return to Earth alone and deal with the monsters himself.
Taeyeon was aware of his intentions.
That’s likely why she said she couldn’t leave him alone.
He wasn’t alone.
It was a strange feeling, but not a bad one. In fact, it felt good.
Calming himself, Taesan continued reviewing his rewards.
[Title: Solely Pure Body]
[An entirely untainted and pure body, unaffected by anything.]
[Resistance to all physical abnormalities significantly increases.]
The wizard had turned a title that was useless to Taesan into something practical. Now, statuses like poison or paralysis were essentially meaningless to him.
[Special Continuous Skill: Immortal Heart]
[Proficiency: 1%]
[As long as your will remains unbroken, so too will your body and spirit. You can move your body even when it has reached its limit.]
“Does this mean moving my body purely through willpower?”
While it didn’t seem incredibly helpful for Taesan, it was certainly not a bad skill to have.
And then, the special activation skill:
[Special Activation Skill: Seal Authority]
[Mana Cost: 1]
[Seals absolute authority. If desired, it can also seal your presence.]
Since it was a skill created directly by the wizard, it was quite unique. Taesan activated the skill as a test.
[You have activated Seal Authority.]
[Oh?]
A ghostly voice emerged.
Taesan, now an immortal, radiated an authority and presence that was nearly impossible to conceal.
But upon activating the Seal Authority, all of that disappeared entirely.
Taesan now appeared to be an ordinary adventurer with nothing remarkable about him.
[This is pretty useful.]
To confirm, Taesan summoned Minerva. She appeared with a flustered expression.
“Master! You’ve finally reached immortality! Why didn’t you summon me sooner? I had so many—”
Minerva stopped speaking, surprised by Taesan’s complete lack of presence.
“Huh? You’ve definitely reached it, though?”
“Even a contracted spirit king can’t recognize me?”
Taesan deactivated the Seal Authority. His presence once again filled the labyrinth, and Minerva was taken aback.
“Sealing the presence of an immortal? There’s a skill for that?”
“I got it from the wizard who created the labyrinth. Not bad, huh?”
The ability to conceal his presence at will would surely be useful in upcoming floors.
“The labyrinth… If someone capable of creating such a place exists, I suppose such feats are possible. Fascinating.”
Minerva marveled at the labyrinth and then spoke again.
“Anyway, congratulations, Master. To surpass mortality… You’ve achieved something almost unheard of in the universe.”
Her words weren’t just flattery. Even among the strongest gathered in the labyrinth, those who transcended mortality were exceedingly rare. Reaching immortality was a feat almost unparalleled across the universe.
However, Minerva spoke with a conflicted expression.
“I’m proud, but… I’m not sure how much help I’ll be to you now.”
Taesan was now an immortal. According to the wizard, the labyrinth would adjust to his new level. Minerva was undoubtedly strong but far from reaching immortality.
“You still have your role to play.”
Spirits like Minerva, who acted autonomously even outside of battle, were incredibly useful.
After talking with Minerva for a bit, Taesan began reviewing the remaining rewards.
[Thread of Collapse.]
[A thread condensed from the power of collapse. Ordinary beings disintegrate upon contact.]
[Ring of Endless Collapse.]
[Attack Power +500]
[A ring that carries the power to destroy its surroundings. If the user’s level or strength is insufficient, it will destroy the wearer’s body.]
One material item and a decent-performance ring. Upon seeing the ring, Taesan noticed his twin rings, which had further evolved after his ascension to immortality.
A white ring and a black ring.
Now that he was immortal, the power of these rings had stabilized significantly.
The attack power of the black ring had increased from 1,500 to 2,000, far surpassing most weapons. The white ring had an additional description explaining that it could assist Taesan using divinity through the will of the ring itself.
However, it still wasn’t enough.
Taesan fiddled with the pair of rings.
The Two into One skill that fused two equals into one.
It was now possible to use it. If he combined the black and white rings into one, their power would surely increase significantly.
But it wasn’t the right time yet. He planned to consult Hafran for confirmation before attempting the fusion.
After organizing his thoughts, Taesan headed to the 81st floor.
Leaving behind the quietly smiling shopkeeper, he stepped into the 81st floor, where a familiar altar came into view.
[81st Floor Quest Initiated.]
[Pass Zelbando’s Trial.]
[Reward: The Staff of Resonating Sounds.]
[Hidden Reward: ???]
The altar of the God of Magic, Zelbando, appeared.
When Taesan approached and placed his hand on the altar, energy from the altar enveloped him.
Taesan nodded.
Power expanded, and the world around him transformed.
A black void filled with starlight like a galaxy.
This was the domain of the God of Magic.
[You’ve arrived.]
“Greetings.”
Standing alone amidst the stars, Zelbando awaited Taesan. Taesan bowed politely, showing respect. Zelbando waved his hand.
[Enough. You’re now an immortal. Though you don’t have your own domain, you’ve surpassed mortality. There’s no need to be overly formal.]
“Even so, I must show respect.”
Zelbando was far stronger than Taesan.
Zelbando smirked knowingly, aware of this.
[Perhaps my words are meaningless then. Do as you wish.]
He conjured a chair and sat down.
[You know what you’re here to gain, don’t you?]
“Advanced magic, I presume.”
[Correct. Advanced magic is a power even those with exceptional talent who dedicate their lives to magic rarely achieve. Therefore, I will give you a trial related to it. Will you accept?]
Zelbando began to speak.
“Yes.”
Finally, advanced magic. The gap between beginner and intermediate magic was as vast as the distance between the heavens and the earth.
Since obtaining intermediate magic, Taesan had hardly used beginner magic, no longer finding it effective.
What level would advanced magic be?
He felt a thrill of anticipation.
Zelbando smiled slyly.
[Good. I’ll take you to the trial site. You’ll need to see for yourself to understand the details.]
The God of Magic snapped his fingers, and the space around Taesan accelerated.
Countless galaxies whizzed past, and Taesan arrived at a destination.
It was a tower.
A single tower stood tall in an endless white space, with no end in sight.
“So this is the trial site.”
[Perhaps.]
Taesan headed toward the tower. Upon opening the small door and entering, he found eight people waiting for him.
“Oh, he’s here!”
“…Tch. I don’t like him.”
“I can’t sense anything. Did Zelbando really permit him advanced magic?”
Voices filled with curiosity, irritation, and doubt overlapped.
A strong and varied mana resonance emanated from them.
Each of their auras was unique, with no uniformity. It seemed they all wielded distinctive magic.
Among them, one individual exuded a particularly strong presence.
An elderly man dressed in a gray robe, wearing a pointed hat, with a long white beard.
The very image of a traditional wizard, he stood at the center of the group.
The old man silently observed Taesan, his eyes gleaming with a peculiar light.
Taesan also noticed something extraordinary about the old man.
‘An immortal.’
“Hello! Nice to meet you!”
A woman, who had shown curiosity about Taesan, smiled brightly and waved as she approached him.
“We’ve already been briefed by Zelbando, but you must have no idea about us. Ask away! Got any questions?”
“What is this place?”
“It’s simple.”
The woman placed her hand proudly on her chest.
“We are magicians chosen by Zelbando!”
“Chosen?”
“Those who are madly devoted to magic. Among those who dedicate their entire lives to it, only a rare few are chosen by Zelbando. This place gathers those chosen ones to research and train in magic eternally. This is the Tower of Eternity!”
A gathering place for wizards. The Tower of Eternity.
The woman raised her finger.
“And we are the magicians of this place! You can think of us as examiners who will determine if you’re worthy of advanced magic! Let’s get along for the time being!”
[Subquest Initiated.]
[The God of Magic, Zelbando, seeks to determine if you are worthy of advanced magic. To do so, you must visit the Tower of Eternity, where magicians recognized by Zelbando reside. Gain the recognition of the seven magical schools and pass the Tower Master's trial.]
[Conditions: Recognition of the Seven Schools and the Tower Master.]
[Reward: Advanced Magic – Grand Collapse.]