The Wall of Level 100 (2)
Kwagagagaga!
A storm raged through my mind.
Innumerable inspirations about magic bubbled up like a spring.
One insight led to another, chaining endlessly, as if I'd stepped into the eternal cosmos.
'Ah.'
A gasp escaped my lips unbidden.
The laws of the universe and their immutable truths flashed by.
The faint clues I'd grasped began to take shape.
The path I must follow, the point I must reach—it all crystallized in that instant.
'Beautiful.'
Countless starlights streaked past my eyes.
Each one cradled incomprehensible, inscrutable concepts.
What realm must one attain to unravel them all?
And if I mastered every one, perfecting my Dao…
Could I even be called human then?
I couldn't know what the end would look like.
But one thing was certain.
I would reach the exalted rank of those great beings, the gods themselves.
'Aah!'
As the starlights brushed past me, I sank once more into that bizarre ecstasy.
Every sensation from head to toe faded, growing numb.
Pa aaaah!!
A blinding light erupted.
It was as if the boundaries of my existence crumbled, merging me into the cosmos itself.
My vision returned.
And system messages scrolled before my eyes.
Mana surged through my body, choking the breath from my lungs.
And then.
Thump—
Kududuk, kwaduk.
My heart pounded fiercely.
The bones throughout my body began to twist.
Kwaduduk, drdrdrduk!!!
Pain that threatened to steal my mind.
Even as agony screamed for thousands of cries from my throat, I clenched my teeth and endured.
I sensed it instinctively.
I absolutely could not let a scream escape my lips right now.
'Kuhhh.'
Amid the exploding torment, I desperately circulated the <Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method (SSS)> without losing my focus.
Kwagagagagaga!!
Mana flowed through me like a waterfall, unrestrained.
Wherever it passed, my mana circuits widened and strengthened.
At the same time, my muscles and bones, reconstructing into an ideal form, absorbed the mana.
They began to perfectly resonate with the mana pouring from the Dragon Heart.
Wuuuuung!!
My entire body glowed with golden mana.
And finally, my skin began to slough away.
In its place emerged skin as pure and milky-white as a newborn's.
Hwan-gol-tal-tae completed successfully.
Dragon Heart's mana capacity has greatly increased.
Mana capacity has exploded, causing a massive level increase.
"Ah."
The storm of transformation passed.
Entering the 9th hierarchy triggered Hwan-gol-tal-tae, and I finally reached 110 Lv.
On the surface, it was just a 10-level gain, but I could instinctively sense my combat power had multiplied far beyond that.
"Master! Congratulations on your breakthrough!"
"Felicitations on your achievement!"
『Keron. Congratulations, Master.』
『Seojun!! Congrats!』
My guardians, who had watched the change, swarmed over with congratulations.
"Thanks, everyone."
I sprang to my feet.
The air felt profoundly heavier against my skin, utterly different from before.
This was the air that only those who reached level 100 could feel.
As I spread my arms wide and drew it in deeply—
"Eh? What? It wasn't over?"
"…?"
What?
Dragon Words?
Dragon Words.
The great power dragons acquire.
Unlike human language, Dragon Words carry immense mana and authority.
At the beginner stage, it merely enacts simple magical effects.
But as stages advance, it twists natural laws and warps reality.
An Ancient-grade dragon can wield near-demi-god authority with Dragon Words alone.
『Whirl, lightning.』
The Dragon Words flowed from my lips.
Kwajit, kwajijijijijjit!!!
Purple lightning poured naturally from my hand.
Lightning I could control at will—its form, range, power.
It could adapt to virtually any lightning magic.
The utility of <Dragon Words> alone skyrocketed my overall combat power.
'But the downside.'
It's the massive mental power drain.
In combat, I'd need to cultivate my mental strength substantially to use it constantly.
'Gotta train more in the Arcane Chamber.'
I glanced toward the passage leading to the Arcane Chamber.
I wanted to head there right now.
'But first, the Guardian Room.'
The guardians to summon this time.
What beings would appear before me?
Hoping for combat-types, I turned toward the Guardian Room.
Mithril Distribution Union.
They were collectively losing their minds.
"Is this for real?"
"Yes. They're really going to supply 100% pure mithril continuously."
"This is insane!"
Bam!!
Na Seon-uk slammed the table, unable to contain his rage.
It made no sense.
100% pure mithril existing was unbelievable enough—now continuous supply?
Right after Mado Corporation's announcement, pure mithril prices plummeted.
Down 10% in a single day.
This was a market crash.
Mithril prices were as stable as a stablecoin, rarely fluctuating.
"Damn it! That fucking Madoje! Who the hell is this guy?"
Immediately after Mado Corporation's unbelievable reveal, the entire Superhuman Net buzzed with talk of Madoje.
Not just Superhuman Net?
TV, newspapers—every media outlet was abuzz with Madoje.
Foreign outlets hailed it as a paradigm shift in the mithril world, chattering endlessly about Madoje and 100% conductivity mithril.
"Bullshit!!"
Na Seon-uk couldn't hold back his fury.
He'd never imagined a day like this.
The mithril distribution business, a veritable honey pot.
He'd thought it would remain an eternal fountain of wealth.
But now?
Not only was it drying up—the pot itself was in peril.
"Did you contact Mado Corporation?"
Unable to sit idle, Na Seon-uk had reached out proposing intermediary distribution talks.
"They… said they have no intention of using middlemen…"
"Those bastards!!!"
Na Seon-uk ground his teeth.
They planned to monopolize the honey pot for themselves.
Truth be told, he might have done the same.
But with his own pot threatened, rational thought evaporated.
"This can't happen."
Did they think he'd watch the ecosystem he'd built crumble?
'Think of something, Na Seon-uk.'
I can do this.
Somehow, I need a foot in that pot…
'Wait.'
A sudden realization.
Why was he thinking of clinging to their pot?
'If I can't have it… I can just smash it.'
Mado Corporation.
Sabotage it so it can't operate normally.
Government joint venture or not, if he set his mind to it, it was doable.
The money lines he'd spread across executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Time to pull those strings.
A gov joint venture would be easier to procedural-kill.
Plus.
Spread rumors via media that 100% mithril has defects.
And not just talk.
Physical friction too.
The underworld superhumans.
Use them to harass and pressure operations.
A fledgling company—plenty feasible.
And finally.
'Cut off the supply chain.'
Madoje.
Eliminate him, and it's over.
This vicious cycle ends only by removing Madoje.
How?
'Just find where he is.'
The blade in the shadows.
Borrow their power—that can behead even the Grim Reaper for the right price.
That's why he'd saved that money.
Not necessarily kill him.
Threats or blackmail to halt mithril supply would suffice.
'So.'
Just locate him.
Where are you, Madoje?
Na Seon-uk mobilized all resources to hunt Madoje.
Step, step.
My footsteps echoed through the passage to the Guardian Room, slicing the silence.
Post-Hwan-gol-tal-tae, not only had my mana surged and magical realm elevated—my body itself felt incredibly light.
Light enough to wield a sword in direct combat, perhaps.
As if my ordinary body had transformed into that of a martial arts pinnacle master.
Elation swept through me—I could do anything.
'Maybe learn swordsmanship later?'
A faint smile tugged at my lips as I pressed forward.
The stone slabs filling the Guardian Room.
Among them, I spotted one emanating brilliant golden light.
'Two.'
Not one.
Since I'd leveled up so much, it made sense.
But.
'I expected at least three or four.'
Does the summon cooldown lengthen as levels rise?
If so, that's a shame.
With that thought, I gripped the glowing slab.
Kwaaaaaaaa!!
110 Lv confirmed.
Seventh Guardian. Dimensional Wanderer, <Elder Vampire> awakens from long slumber.
Eighth Guardian. Spirit Archer, <Whisper Warden> awakens from long slumber.
Two figures emerged from the golden pillar of light.
One was a handsome man exuding noble grace.
The other, a woman with a dizzyingly voluptuous figure that instinctively drew men's gazes.
"My first greeting to you, Master. I am the Elder Vampire, Crimson Valdria."
"It is an honor to meet you, Master. I am Wispent of the Whisper Warden clan."
The noble handsome man, Crimson Valdria.
The voluptuous beauty, Wispent.
My new guardians.
"Welc—"
As I moved to welcome them—
Guardian count reached 10.
From now on, only guardians who have reached the <Realm of Transcenders> will appear from the Guardian Room.
"Eh? What's this now?"