Tempering: The Enigma of the Variant Jeonbung-is
Variant Jeonbung-is kept popping up in raids or regular dungeons.
They'd even been spotted on Goseongji's broadcasts, so it was only natural that the gallery was buzzing with speculation about these Variant Jeonbung-is.
Before the explanation, I have something to say first.
You little Jeonbung-i shits, we're not Variant Jeonbung-is—we're called '2nd Job Changers'.
We're the ones who'll dominate raids from now on, so feel free to call us 'Jeonhwang' or 'Master'. I permit it.
First, let me explain about us great warriors who've reached the 2nd job change you're all curious about.
We endured endless mockery and persecution, and in the end, we obtained some fateful encounter in the dungeon.
Thanks to that, we gained unique abilities that set us apart from others. You can see their power from broadcasts or other posts, so I'll skip the details.
...Honestly, even I, a 2nd job change Jeonbung-i and the man who's to be your master, haven't grasped all the ability variations of the other warriors.
Probably, it seems like each individual awakens a different ability.
Abilities affecting body enhancement or aura... or influencing surrounding beings, or handling elements like mages.
The reason abilities diverge like this is likely because while the direction is similar, the paths to get there are countless.
Now, how did we obtain these abilities?
This is probably what you bastards are most curious about.
Seeing you shitpost crap like that, I can tell you're so desperate to deny reality out of curiosity.
As your future master, I'll explain this part.
I met a few great warriors in raids who'd had similar experiences.
Talking to them, I learned they'd gone through the same thing as me...
That's right... they were also great beings who'd passed the Mirror Trial.
The Mirror Trial... Those who reach there confront their countless possibilities.
Only those who reject all the temptations shown by the mirror and resolve to become true warriors can reach the 2nd job change.
Why only warriors among the many explorers receive this trial...
Probably because warriors are the noblest beings...
Pitiful non-warriors.
Now accept the flow of the times and welcome your new masters.
Ha... what the hell? There was a mage option that looked cool so I picked it but nothing happened...
What, no hint of past changing or anything? Why's it just the same?
I swear... I saw a future where I was using Meteor and shit...?
"Hoo..."
Ever since Kkomangi swallowed the Mirror of Fate, I'd been lurking on the gallery to spot any changes it caused.
And the result... I'd learned about 'Variant Jeonbung-is', 'Mirror Room', 'Mirror Trial', and such keywords.
With the gallery flooded with bait posts, there was no way I could've missed it.
A special space accessible via random wells appearing on maps rather than regular dungeon fields.
This was like...
"......a random encounter event..."
It felt ominous from the start, but to think it'd empower Jeonbung-is of all things.
What kind of sorcery caused this?
From compiling gallery posts, it wasn't just warriors getting better at aura.
Sure, some cases specialized further in their field, but...
To me, it felt like...
"Dimensional Transferees?"
Their abilities were vague, but it was like each had unlocked their unique power, just like Dimensional Transferees.
"...Guess I gotta check this out myself?"
If I was aware of it, entering the Mirror Room or whatever shouldn't be hard.
...Gotta wrap up negotiations with these veteran explorers first.
*
A few days later
Magic Tower
- We'll leave the tower master's examination results outside.
The rumors of Variant Jeonbung-is swarming the gallery naturally reached the Magic Tower, and they brought in 2nd job-changed Jeonbung-is for various tests.
Since it involved the Dungeon Master and was intriguing, Tower Master Evangeline was meticulously reviewing the research report for the first time in ages.
And what they discovered...
"This... it's like they've developed their upper dantian like Dimensional Transferees."
Opening of the upper dantian.
A common trait in warriors who'd undergone the trial and awakened abilities.
Of course, compared to Dimensional Transferees, the output and development were like sun versus torch, but versus regular explorers, their upper dantians were definitely opening.
The developing upper dantians like Dimensional Transferees enhanced aura control for bizarre applications, or manipulated blood, converted mana to light, or awakened entirely new powers.
Plus, the 'mirror space' they all testified about. Those who reached it uniformly faced illusions and auditory hallucinations pushing them.
"Hmm... No way it'd show that for nothing, so probably related to the awakened abilities..."
Evangeline flipped through the documents, continuing her thoughts.
"This process looks like... refining the upper dantian to fix the ability..."
Dimensional Transferees' abilities awakened with fully opened upper dantians were closely tied to their mindscapes.
The trial in the mirror space could be interpreted as constantly stimulating and honing the warriors' unstable mindscapes, refining them into abilities at the end.
Cases where they chose a wrong path and got nothing? Just those who succumbed to temptation.
They couldn't endure the tempering process.
"Dungeon Master... now you're even making pseudo-Dimensional Transferees?"
Evangeline recalled her past research on Dimensional Transferee selection criteria.
A study starting from doubts: Are Dimensional Transferees truly randomly selected?
At its end, she'd concluded it wasn't pure random.
'Likely those with talent for easily opening upper dantians cross over.'
From countless dimensions, those with upper dantian talent and mindscapes ripe for abilities are selected to transfer.
The reason for such selection to bring Dimensional Transferees here.
Evangeline had pondered that long too.
If she had to speculate... probably resources.
Perhaps using Dimensional Transferees as mediums to draw energy from other dimensions—that might be their true purpose.
As they grow, abilities strengthen, the path to their original dimension widens, drawing more energy.
If so, it explains their absurd output, but...
No way to prove it.
Couldn't know who or how they were brought here.
Maybe she was totally off-base.
"...My mind wandered."
In summary, warriors who passed the Mirror Trial awakened upper dantian abilities.
But output is negligible outside ticket dungeons, stable only inside—probably getting Dungeon Master support...
Some got dragon-like creatures? Likely Dungeon Master fused their mindscape with monster data inside.
Even reconsidering, Dungeon Master's power is off the charts.
Whether intentional or not... if everyone awakens upper dantians, it'd be massive power boost.
...And these warriors' upper dantians are just budding, plenty of growth left.
"...Tempering doesn't end in one go, after all."
*
A space of pure white everywhere.
I was in the Mirror Room the Jeonbung-is talked about.
"Hmm... but..."
Why so many mirrors?
They said at most under ten...
Here, even roughly...
"No clue..."
Can't even count with mirrors reflecting mirrors endlessly.