2nd Floor Ascension Tower Exam (3)
A low hum echoed as the Steel Golem hauled its massive body upright. Even as the lowest-grade golem, it towered well over five meters—two or three times the height of an average man. Compared to the typical golems nearing ten meters, it might seem small, but standing face-to-face with its bulk still stole the breath from your lungs.
Thud!
The Steel Golem endured the barrage of magic bombardment with its body, then slammed a fist toward the ground.
“Argh!”
The shockwave sent a nearby male mage tumbling off balance.
“Dodge!”
“It’s dangerous!”
“Sh-Shield!”
The fallen mage hastily cast a shield, but...
Clang.
The shield shattered like glass before the Steel Golem’s swinging fist. The punch connected with the mage at the same instant.
Disqualified
“Damn it, Ki-hoon’s out.”
“Switch to Formation B!”
The mages, now down to four, swiftly repositioned with disciplined precision. A fresh wave of magic artillery followed.
—Fire Arrow.
—Fire Bolt.
—Dig.
Fire-attribute spells— the Steel Golem’s weakness—pummeled it, cratering the ground beneath its feet.
Whirr.
Even amid the assault, the defensive magic circle glowing on the Steel Golem’s surface absorbed every spell hurled its way. The golem lumbered forward, charging the mages once more.
“That’s the problem.”
The bushy-haired guy watching the screen spoke up.
“We have to breach that defensive magic circle to damage the core, but it’s not easy.”
“Which is why, as I said before, your role in our strategy is crucial, Je-hyun.”
The bushy-haired guy started, and the freckled girl picked up. Their point boiled down to one thing: breaching the Steel Golem’s defensive magic circle was incredibly tough, making firepower the key position.
Je-hyun smirked at the obvious ploy, nodding. They were planning to dump the aggro on him.
Please enter the arena.
“Our turn. Alright, everyone—fighting!”
“Let’s do this.”
The bushy-haired guy and freckled girl pumped up the team. Je-hyun’s group ascended the stage for the exam, drawing eyes from the crowd.
* * *
Je-hyun’s face appeared on the screen broadcasting the 2nd floor Ascension Tower exam.
“That guy...”
Kim Hyeongjin, the red-haired boy watching, muttered lowly.
He’s got that smug look of leisure all over his face.
Staring at Je-hyun twisted Kim Hyeongjin’s guts with rage. This was a guy who’d clearly been beneath him. Yet somehow, he’d grown enough to attract everyone’s attention.
“He’s seriously handsome.”
“Whoa, he’s gonna be super popular later. Should I stake my claim early?”
“Ugh, look at you. How long ago was your breakup?”
“You gotta scoop up the good ones quick.”
Two female mages giggled nearby. Watching them only made his blood boil hotter.
He’s an eyesore.
His animosity toward Je-hyun swelled. It had started over something trivial, but the resentment had piled up into outright hatred.
No matter how a lowly worm thrashes, the gutter’s where it belongs.
The ceiling was reserved for nobles like him. Not rootless trash like Kim Je-hyun. He didn’t know what fluke had shot the guy to 2nd Circle overnight, but today’s exam failure would send him plummeting into total ruin—along with Hyeongjin’s seething malice.
Je-hyun’s team began the test.
* * *
Groooan.
The Steel Golem raised its head. It heaved its massive frame upright.
Whirr.
Red light flared in the two eyes on its face. It had locked onto the enemies before it.
“Alright, stick to the plan!”
The bushy-haired guy shouted, conjuring an Air Bolt in his hand.
Bang!
The Air Bolt struck the Steel Golem’s torso dead-on. Its gaze swung toward him.
“Eek.”
The bushy-haired guy’s neck shrank instinctively. That stare never got easier. Still, he’d successfully grabbed first aggro.
He glanced at the freckled girl.
Keep aggro light.
Their eyes met in silent understanding. They’d ping-pong aggro lightly before dumping it all on Je-hyun. No doubt in their minds—they wouldn’t fail.
“Okay then, Je-hyun! We’ll handle aggro, so get ready...”
The bushy-haired guy turned to Je-hyun and yelled. Then he froze in place.
“What... the hell is that?”
He almost forgot they were mid-exam.
And for good reason.
Whoosh.
A small eagle radiating golden light hovered before Je-hyun.
“Is that some kind of spell?”
“Never seen anything like it...”
Murmurs rippled through the onlookers. Je-hyun had conjured a form of magic no one recognized.
“Wait... is that a spirit?”
“What? A spirit?”
“Look—it moves like a living thing. Only spirits have that kind of lifelike energy!”
Someone’s guess widened all eyes. It made sense. But it couldn’t be.
Mages couldn’t summon spirits.
“Uncle Joo-young, mages can’t contract with spirits, right?”
The boy with sky-blue hair and pale skin—Jo Yeonho, son of the Jupiter Faction leader—asked the man beside him.
“Not always. Shin Yesung of the Nature Clan wields both spirits and magic.”
“So hyung really summoned a spirit?”
“Truthfully... I’m not sure. Never heard of a spirit like that. But if it is...”
Gulp.
The man’s throat bobbed. An absurd hypothesis. Reaching 2nd Circle in a month was shocking enough—now spirits too?
Even I have to admit that’s nuts.
He chuckled wryly. Je-hyun was beyond specs. Yet a strange anticipation stirred. Something told him Je-hyun would cause a massive stir this exam.
* * *
Whoosh.
Je-hyun’s eyes tinted gold—the precursor to channeling golden mana.
Fireball.
The Fireball Je-hyun conjured absorbed golden mana, blazing brighter and drawing every eye.
“That’s... golden mana.”
The bushy-haired guy, tanking aggro, gasped in awe. The rumored golden mana blessing, witnessed live. Kim Je-hyun really was a monster.
That 1st floor performance too. 2nd Circle in a month... and now golden mana.
He seemed from another world.
Wait, no way? He’s not actually gonna take down the golem, is he?
An impossible thought, but it hit him. Trembling, he watched the golden Fireball and eagle.
Je-hyun, sensing the gaze, focused intently on manifesting spirit magic.
This is the key moment.
Spirit magic’s proficiency was still low. One slip could fail the spell—and its mana cost was insane, making failure costly.
Even with these stats, I nearly ran dry.
Je-hyun chuckled inwardly. From the Elf Forest, he’d hit level 14. Mana stat: base 30 + extra 24 = 54 total. Beyond 2nd Circle, even average 3rd. Yet the burst drain nearly buckled his legs.
So it has to work first try.
Deep breath. Focus. Mana erupted from his Mana Core. Circulating mana merged, converging. Reacting, Kasaa and the Fireball began fusing.
“Whoa! What’s happening?!”
“...!”
Onlookers cried out in shock. No one saw this coming.
Ifrit's lesser soldier Kasaa + 2nd Circle spell Fireball
Kasaa's Wrath
Roar!
Kasaa's Wrath completed—a golden orb like a miniature sun, radiating scorching heat and crackling mana.
The Steel Golem, chasing the others, finally reacted to the energy.
Groooan.
It pivoted toward Je-hyun. The team had their desired setup, but no smiles came. Their senses screamed: this destructive magic might fell even the golem.
Flash.
Kasaa's Wrath streaked through the air in a golden trail, slamming into the Steel Golem’s center.
Kaboom!
Fwoosh!
Golden flames erupted, engulfing the golem entirely.
Thud.
The earth quaked as the Steel Golem dropped to its knees.
The overwhelming sight silenced everyone. In 2nd Circle Ascension Tower history, the Steel Golem had knelt only once—before Matapju Choi Hanseom. Today, history added a new chapter.
“Ah...”
Je-hyun’s teammates stared in dazed disbelief, unsure if it was dream or reality.
“Wh-What just...”
“No... way.”
The bushy-haired guy gawked incredulously. The freckled girl’s jaw hung slack. The other two mirrored them, lost as the golem melted in golden fire.
Je-hyun turned to them.
“Good work, everyone. Thanks to you, we cleared it smoothly.”
He flashed a grin.
Clear time: 2 minutes 21 seconds.
Steel Golem: Total destruction.
2nd Floor Ascension Tower Exam.
All-time record broken.
* * *
Whoosh.
Im Joo-young shot to his feet watching the exam.
Impossible.
Jo Yeonho beside him startled, but Im Joo-young was too stunned to notice.
A spirit!
His eyes bulged. The golden eagle was a spirit. Fusing it with magic? Unheard of. And that fusion spell’s power exceeded 3rd Circle.
Je-hyun, fresh 2nd Circle, unleashed circle-transcending destruction. Had the Steel Golem ever fallen so helplessly on the 2nd floor? Even Matapju needed team play.
Je-hyun got some aggro help early, but he soloed it essentially.
Insane. This defies logic. We have to recruit him.
His instincts screamed: Kim Je-hyun would rewrite Magic Tower history. Jupiter Faction had to snag him—or at least stay friendly.
His rating’s wrong.
HR pegged Je-hyun at A+. Im Joo-young thought it generous—top talents started at S.
I was wrong. This is S... or higher.
He shivered. Only Matapju had higher internal ratings. Maybe Je-hyun would surpass even that.
No time to waste.
Im Joo-young whipped out his smartphone, calling HR. Upgrade Kim Je-hyun’s recruitment offer now.
Glancing around, he saw others scrambling—familiar faces from rival factions’ scouts. Same thought.
His movements grew frantic. That day, Je-hyun’s feat rocked the Magic Tower again.
* * *
“Whew.”
Back at his dorm, Je-hyun flopped onto the bed.
“Kasaa’s Wrath. Way more impressive than I thought. Melting the Steel Golem outright—not just disabling it.”
“Frankly, even I was surprised.”
Je-hyun’s eyes widened slightly. Alkasha admitting surprise at magic? First time.
“It shocked even you?”
“Indeed. I lack data on spirit magic. Thought it mere fusion at first... but its potential exceeds expectations.”
“Huh... coming from you. Yeah, even I was impressed.”
Practice paled next to real combat’s raw power.
“Spirit magic may become your unique weapon. Low proficiency and utility now, but fusing high-circle spells with spirit kings... or blending spirits into Dragon Words... unimaginable power.”
An uncharted realm.
“Sounds thrilling.”
Je-hyun murmured, rolling toward Alkasha. Fatigue hit, but future promise curved his lips.
“But first.”
He sat up, eyes reigniting.
“Check missions.”
Ascension Tower Record-Breaking Mission partially cleared.
Evaluating performance...
Grade: S
+3,000 Points acquired.
Level up!
Elun’s Treasure Chest+4 granted.
Rewards poured in. A golden-glowing treasure chest shimmered before Je-hyun’s eyes.