Soul Collect and the Golem Faction
Kim Jehyun murmured inwardly, 'Check info.'
― Collects souls of defeated enemies.
― Collected souls can be synthesized, strengthened, or bestowed.
― Maximum number of collectible souls scales with skill level.
― Collected souls can be released at any time.
― Current collectible soul limit: 1
― Currently collected souls: (0/1)
'SSS-grade!' The first thing that caught his eye was the skill's sky-high rank. An outright SSS-grade. It was two full steps above the Mirror Clarity Water (S) skill he'd acquired last time. Excluding the mythical EX-grade, this was essentially the pinnacle.
―No... an SSS-grade? Even Alkasha jolted at the rank, stunned.
For a +10 treasure chest, the odds of pulling an S-grade were over 95%. An SSS-grade? Less than 0.1%. Yet Jehyun had pierced those odds clean through.
―Truly, your innate luck... I can only call it absurd. Alkasha let out a hollow chuckle.
No one could match Jehyun's fortune.
"All thanks to the good karma I built up in my past life."
―Past life, my foot...
Jehyun snorted at Alkasha's retort, then eagerly scanned the skill description with a grin. It allowed collecting souls from slain foes.
'Hmm.' He tilted his head. But what to do with them?
Alkasha chuckled at his puzzled look.
―Typical ways to wield soul power: absorb strength from the soul itself, borrow its power, summon it outright. Or infuse it into a vessel body. Sadly, none are feasible at your current level.
"What's so complicated about it?"
―Isn't it obvious? This isn't some crude necromancer's spirit arts—it's higher-dimensional craft. Soul manipulation itself.
Jehyun grasped it somewhat. This power leaned more toward divine authority than mere magic. Akin to Dragon Words, in a way.
"Tch, feels a bit underwhelming."
―Then grow stronger faster. Once you can cast 'summoner' spells, its potential becomes boundless.
"Summoner? What's that? First time hearing it. What circle?"
―Hmm. By human standards? 9th Circle?
"...Pardon?"
At that moment, neither Jehyun nor Alkasha knew. A chance to wield Soul Collect would come knocking soon.
"Whoa, it's huge."
The next morning, Jehyun headed straight for the Golem Faction on the 5th floor. Not far from his lodgings.
"How did you... Huh? Kim Jehyun?"
"What? Kim Jehyun?"
Stepping through the entrance, someone recognized him and yelped in shock. Nearby mages swarmed instantly.
"You're even more handsome in person!"
"Jehyun, yesterday was insane. Truly amazing!"
"What's the secret to getting that strong so fast?"
They sparkled like fans mobbing a celebrity—despite being at least 5th Circle mages themselves.
'This... feels kinda nice, but... troublesome.' Jehyun sweated bullets. Never imagined being mobbed by high-circle mages.
"What's all the racket?"
A middle-aged man with a stylish mustache approached, hands clasped behind his back.
"Ah, Faction Leader."
"Greetings, Faction Leader."
Choi Deok-hwan, Golem Faction Leader, sorted the chaos.
"Oh? Jehyun. You're early."
Spotting Jehyun amid the crowd, Choi beamed and approached. The mages parted like the sea.
"Sorry about my rowdy bunch. They're a free-spirited lot."
"Haha, no worries. Grateful for the warm welcome."
Jehyun followed Choi to the leader's office. Unlike other factions, golems—human-sized and smaller—dotted the halls.
'Fitting for the Golem Faction...'
In the office, Choi poured a rare tea.
"Sorry for the trouble."
The talk opened with Choi's apology. The previous leader's mess nearly caused disaster.
"You taking down that thing... I can't tell you how relieved I was."
No empty words. The rogue ex-leader had rigged the 11th-round golem beyond standard controls. Realizing mid-shutdown attempt, Choi's heart had dropped. If Jehyun got hurt... the blame would've been theirs. The ex-leader had retired from the Magic Tower.
"All good. Water under the bridge, and I chose to continue anyway."
Choi relaxed at Jehyun's easygoing response, looking a decade younger.
'The Tower Master gave him a seal too? Total favorite... If yesterday went south? Ugh, nightmare.' Choi shuddered.
Even as a 7th Circle+ archmage, he couldn't weather the Tower Master's wrath.
"Incredible, though. Taking it down in one go? Unbelievable."
Topic shifted to yesterday's exam. Choi grew more astonished with each detail—Jehyun's spells perfectly calculated.
'This kid surpasses even the Tower Master in genius.'
After more chat, Choi steeled himself, eyes serious. Jehyun sensed the main topic incoming, matching the gravity.
'Wonder what he wants?' Golem production patent use? Jackpot client—their market share topped 50%.
"Ever hear of transforming robots? Big fad back in the day."
"...Transforming robots?"
Out of left field. Jehyun puzzled over Choi's angle.
"Yes. Our male ancestors loved 'em."
'No way...' Jehyun caught on.
"So I thought: What if golems transformed too? Lately, I've obsessed over it—endless rumination and research."
Transforming golems. Unthought-of before coming here. But intriguing.
"Any progress?"
"That's why I called you. Linking form shifts to the golem core's formula? Stuck. Care to help? Compensation won't disappoint."
'Golems...' Unexpected pitch. Jehyun glanced at floating Alkasha.
'Know golem formulas?'
―Obviously. Golems are a magic branch. Think this body, master of all magics, lacks golem knowledge?
'Cool. No issue with his offer then?'
―Of course. I can guess the snag just from hearing it.
Perfect. But Jehyun didn't bite immediately.
"Golem formulas... Plenty of mages better than me. Why me?"
"Haha, no need for humility here. Mages topping you? Fingers on one hand. Maybe your talent's the best. Others are all show. You developed the 'overlapping magic circle' at Phoenix Hall, right? I want that insight now."
"Hmm, but my schedule's packed—might not find time."
"No worries! Pop in when free, jot insights as they come. I'll make it worth your while."
Jehyun smiled. Good enough—not greedy, avoid bad vibes.
"Sure. I'll take a look."
"Thanks! Feels like it'll work out now." Choi beamed, thanking profusely.
"Mind showing the research?"
"Absolutely! Been hoping you'd ask. This way."
They descended to the research floor. Choi led to the largest lab at the end.
"My workshop-cum-lab."
Jehyun surveyed: wall-to-wall golem parts—cores, shells, materials.
'Impressive... Half the world's golems from here, huh?' Lab scale proved it.
"Messy, sorry. Over here."
Deeper in, a massive parchment sprawled on a desk—Choi's transforming golem blueprint.
"My current project."
Jehyun scanned it.
'Alkasha, thoughts?'
―Huh... Impressive. Human golem mastery this advanced?
'That good?'
―Yes. Beyond simple part-swaps—full freeform transformation. Touches 2nd-gen golem design. Humans are astounding; magic's new to them, yet here already.
Alkasha sounded shocked. Choi punched above weight.
―A bit more polish, and it could hit 3rd-gen—growth-capable.
'3rd-gen?'
―Yes. Materials might be tricky now, but a 3rd-gen base lets you apply Soul Collect.
'Soul Collect on golems?'
―Precisely. 3rd-gen allows basic ego infusion. Substitute with collected souls. Say you snag a dragonkin monster soul, infuse the core—it manifests the monster's full lifetime power as your golem.
'Full monster power? Possible?'
―Yes. Endless growth too—theoretically from 'common' to 'mythic' grade.
'Then why not mention this earlier for Soul Collect?'
―I didn't know golem research was this far along.
'Hmm... Anyway.' Jehyun's eyes gleamed at the blueprint.
Choi spoke up. "Stuck here and here. Others need golem expertise you might lack, but these are pure magic circle formulas—mind a look?"
Jehyun nodded, then replied per Alkasha's guidance.
"Faction Leader, what if we tweak these formulas like so?"
He jotted revisions on blank paper and handed them over. Choi read slowly—then eyes bulged in shock.
"...!"