Chapter 160
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: A World That Does Not Tolerate Mistakes
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Mana infused with void is dangerous.
The moment it touches you, if you don't push it back with equal force, it inflicts wounds so severe they can't be healed in an instant.
And that power was now clearly targeting Jun.
Aiden and Maya were busy dealing with the void remnants surging from the front.
Eleanor was breaking out in a cold sweat just supporting those two.
Jun alone had to block the Void Moss's strike.
'Even in the game, this guy's ultimate move, [Nihility], was notoriously vicious.'
It ignored most defensive skills, forcing a pure clash of strength against strength. No tricks worked against that void mana.
Jun had been preparing for such encounters long in advance.
"Why are you pushing yourself so hard, like you're courting death?"
It was late at night.
Before departing for the 5th stratum.
Jun, who had been organizing theories in Shylock's workshop for a while, responded to the old man's voice.
"Because giving your all is the only way to survive."
"That's not wrong. But no one can give their all every moment of every day. They'd collapse. Yet you dive in like a madman with no tomorrow."
"……."
At Shylock's words, Jun set aside his notes for a break and looked at the old man.
"It was a long time ago. I once thrashed about desperately just to survive."
This wasn't a story from this world. It was from his days as 'Lee Jung-jun.'
He said it gravely, but he was actually referring to his time playing the game <Blackout>.
"Back then, death seemed so trivial. So I just muddled through with whatever was at hand."
Even 'Lee Jung-jun,' who was serious about the game, never threw his life into it.
But <Blackout> wasn't that forgiving.
Clearing it was doable somehow, but the process was paved with countless NPC deaths.
"Then one day, I decided to try living properly, so I put in the effort."
Once, 'Lee Jung-jun' had set a personal challenge: clear the game without letting a single NPC die.
The result was endless failures and reloading save data.
Sometimes, he'd misjudge from the start and delete characters he'd painstakingly raised to the mid-to-late game, starting over.
"That's when I realized it. You have to utilize 100% of what you have right now to survive."
And the more you had, the more opportunities arose to save those NPCs.
"That's when I first felt it. This world doesn't tolerate even a single mistake from the lazy."
But humans inevitably make mistakes.
Especially in Blackout, where those mistakes often proved fatal.
Shylock, hearing this, replied as if reminiscing.
"In Blackout, countless heroes are born every year. And the same year, countless heroes meet their end. Hearing you, I can somewhat understand their deaths."
It sounded like advice for another, but it was really for himself.
He had once prided himself on living diligently enough to earn the title 'Bestower King' from the emperor, yet here he was, unable to wield mana anymore.
"So, what do you plan to do once you survive like that?"
"Nothing in particular?"
"……."
"Why the look? Ever seen someone live because they want to die? I want to live. That's why."
"You're one tough bastard……."
With that, Shylock pulled something from his dimensional storage and tossed it to Jun.
"Here. Read it once and toss it."
"What's this?"
"Some insights I jotted down from my younger days. Things I wrote to remember, but at some point, I stopped."
"Is it okay to show me this? Mershar could use it too."
"As if. That pigheaded fool walks his own path. His stubborn ass won't learn from it."
Jun, on the other hand, absorbed everything like a sponge.
So Shylock figured this young mage could integrate those old insights in his own way.
"I'll gratefully accept it."
And indeed, Jun drew inspiration from that book.
'Normally, this spell requires a lot of prep time.'
But there was no luxury for that now. Life in Blackout was always like this.
No matter how much you'd prepared, when trouble hit, you often lacked even the time to deploy it.
But that was fine.
In a place where survival meant making use of even a fraction of your preparations—that was Blackout.
Chrarararak!!
He pulled a new spellbook from his dimensional bracelet.
The opened book tore savagely, papers inscribed with magic circles fluttering to the ground.
[Enchantment Series: Enchant Supporter]
This time, he maximized the 'Phantasmal' ability, focusing on a single spell.
Yet it was magic, but not quite magic.
Any mage witnessing this might call it a blasphemy against magic.
Inevitable.
Jun's circles weren't forged through years of scholarly pursuit.
His magic stemmed purely from combat, always prioritizing practicality.
Thus, he favored raw efficiency over complex, advanced formulas.
A textbook battle mage.
So what magic was Jun preparing?
Sheer volume.
Overwhelming numbers to crush the enemy—a brute-force barrage.
'Especially perfect for countering void attributes.'
The magic circles on the papers activated in unison, and Jun triggered his own at high speed.
Hundreds of spells linked like tree roots, merging into one.
Eleanor, glancing at Jun's magic, was stunned inwardly.
'What the hell did he learn in that short time?'
After deepening her insight into magic via the Growth Pill, she realized Jun's prowess was beyond imagination.
'Individually, they're not that complex…….'
Calculate, support, produce results—a simple principle.
One spell calculates, another supports it, the completed calculation links to the next, supported again…….
'I could make it if told to. But…….'
Calculating that in real-time? She'd whack the demander with her staff.
The moment that flawless magic activated.
[Shield]
Hundreds of layers deployed in sequence
Hundreds of <Shield>s unfurled in a line.
Crude volume tactics, but effective.
A frontal counter to void attributes demanding strength vs. strength.
In response, the Void Moss fired its <Nihility>.
A black sphere of darkness like a black hole at its antennae tips.
The slowly launched orb collided with the hundreds of <Shield>s.
Tzzzzz…….
In an instant, a dozen <Shield>s vanished like smoke upon contact with <Nihility>.
But <Nihility>'s size shrank accordingly.
Like a bullet piercing a body but stopped by stacked boards.
Its <Nihility> wore down piercing the layered <Shield>s, power diminishing.
A feat impossible if chanting each spell manually.
Even if managed, he'd overheat, body roasting golden-brown.
'Mana circuits have always been one of my weaknesses.'
Despite the infinite mana of [Demon God Body], it didn't mean infinite usage.
His body was human, unable to endure true 'infinity.'
Thus, he explored methods, first being enchantment magic.
Whoooong!
But the Void Moss wasn't yielding easily; it absorbed the black poison mist around it, firing void energy from its two antennae to recharge the weakening <Nihility>.
Pssshhh!!
Even from over 100 meters away, the eerie sound of <Shield>s dissolving reached them.
Now, half the <Shield>s remained.
The clash split surrounding ash clouds aside.
Yet Jun's face stayed calm.
He snapped his fingers.
Parararak!!
The scattered spellbook papers flipped, revealing new magic circles on the backs.
New <Shield>s generated between the hundreds.
"I see two moves ahead."
Void energy's power left no room for tricks—meaning massive energy consumption.
Once more, the forces clashed, halving the <Shield>s again.
[Enchantment Series: Enchant Supporter]
[Strength Convergence]
Ancient magic further bolstered the <Shield>s' defenses.
Tzztzt!!
The <Shield>s' destruction slowed even more.
Then Eleanor's holy magic unfolded.
[Pierce of Light]
Squuuueak—!
A sacred golden spear flew at the Void Moss.
It should have dodged at blinding speed, but drained from clashing with Jun, it couldn't.
Part of its wing tore off.
―――――――!!!
As it screamed silently and plummeted, Aiden and Maya raced across the ashen ground.
By now, all its summoned monsters were cleared.
They leaped simultaneously, swords flashing.
Slash!
Maya's twin Acander fangs severed its antennae.
[Shield] → [Charge]
Aiden becomes a gust of wind
[Gale Storm Break] slammed into its tail
Its body shredded in seconds, the creature's vision showed <Nihility> gone, replaced by thunder-laden storm clouds blotting the ashen sky.
[Lightning Call: Variant - Thundercloud]
Pure white lightning struck down.
A formidable foe.
That was Aiden's impression as he slumped onto the ash-covered ground.
His comrades shared it, all gazing wearily at the Void Moss corpse felled by lightning.
Gulp—
Someone swallowed dryly, watching until the body crumbled to dust.
"Haa……."
Jun's deep sigh signaled the end of this leg of the journey.
"If there's no proper reward, I'll cry."
Everyone nodded at Jun's charred, ashen mutter.