Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 97
The endlessly pouring ice-cold waterfall. Water streams that obscure vision and hair that sways limply.
Training clothes that cling to the entire body, adding to the cold. Even the chill that penetrates to the bones.
It was cold enough to make one's teeth chatter involuntarily.
In that extreme situation, a resolute shout could be heard.
"Your breathing is disturbed! Feel the water stream and let it flow! Forcing yourself to endure is what amateurs do!"
At the roar that struck her eardrums, Se-yeon gritted her teeth.
What is that old man saying?
She feels like she might die at any moment, crushed by the weight of the water and the cold.
Even so, Se-yeon doesn't give up and endures.
Since she isn't as clever as that person, she has no choice but to make up for her lacking parts with her body.
How much longer did she endure with sheer grit and determination?
Just as her consciousness was gradually being swallowed by the cold and fading away.
"That's enough. Come out."
At that salvation-like shout, Se-yeon quickly escaped from under the waterfall.
"HUFF. HUFF."
Her arms and legs are frozen and won't move.
Only her dazed mind instinctively knows where she needs to go.
SPLASH-.
Se-yeon threw her body into the hot spring where warm spring water gushed out near the cabin.
A sudden change in temperature.
Her whole body should have been shocked, but thanks to the peach she consumed earlier, there were no problems.
"UUUU."
The medicinal bath's effects seeping into her entire body that had stiffened from the cold.
Se-yeon submerged her head completely under the hot spring water.
Se-yeon emerged above the surface along with the bubbles rising up.
"HAH, HAH."
Now she finally feels like she might live.
Talis looked at Se-yeon like this and chuckled, then opened his mouth.
"There's a tournament in a month. The climbers staying on the 12th floor will come out and compete. There's a big prize for the winner."
"Victory."
Victory means she'd ultimately have to defeat all the climbers.
The other guys wouldn't be much of a problem, but...
When Se-yeon made a complicated expression, Talis asked.
"Why? Can't you do it?"
"But, that person..."
Seo-jin. That person who saved her. She did win when they fought before, but that was the result of fighting with a big handicap.
If they clash with full power, she doesn't have confidence she can win.
As if reading Se-yeon's heart, Talis casually threw out a remark.
"Why? If you don't think you can win, won't you even try?"
"..."
"That's not a true martial artist. Fighting only those you think you can beat is what ruffians do."
Talis clenched his fist tightly.
"Whether you win or lose, martial artists compete in strength. You measure the vessel of your opponent and yourself. But simply competing in strength alone is no different from fighting cocks. Within that competition, you will clash wills with others. This is a fight containing the trajectory each has lived, that is, life itself."
"Life..."
When Se-yeon tilted her head stupidly, Talis said.
"A mercenary's sword contains roughness and obsession toward survival, an assassin's sword has the smell of blood and resentment. A knight's sword contains honor and loyalty. What's contained at the sword's tip is as diverse as the different paths of life each has lived."
WHOOSH-.
When he extended his fist, the fist wind instantly dried Se-yeon's wet hair.
"If you put your will into it, that trajectory becomes weight. A sword loaded with that weight can cut through anything."
"..."
She doesn't really understand what he means.
But it probably means she can become stronger than now.
Talis spoke as if recalling Seo-jin.
"Of course he's strong. But he can't yet put his will into his martial arts."
"...?"
"He's technically perfect, but he's not a true martial artist in the real sense. And."
Talis pointed at Se-yeon.
"You, who are a martial artist, can defeat him."
So if they fight as martial artist versus martial artist, Se-yeon also has a chance of winning?
She understood that.
But.
"What about magic?"
That person is a mage by nature, so even if she beats him in martial arts, there's nothing left and no meaning.
At Se-yeon's point, Talis scratched his cheek.
"...That is a bit troublesome."
Actually, ordinary mages are easy prey for martial artists.
You just approach them while they're muttering incantations and beat them up.
But that guy is a bit different.
He needs neither incantations nor calculations.
Like a seasoned lion, he instantly cuts the enemy's throat with magic.
Most martial artists can't even approach him and would become a handful of ash.
"But there is a way. This training you're doing right now is exactly that."
"My training?"
What does shivering from cold under a waterfall all day have to do with defeating that person?
Talis smiled and said.
"You'll know once you try it. How about it, can you follow along?"
***
Deep in the valley filled with ominous magic power.
Rosaria asked Seo-jin a question.
"How many points are left?"
"107 points."
"Good. Let's use 100 points for now. Since it's the creation of a new magic system with you as the origin, we need to use at least that much."
"..."
The points he had treasured and saved up.
Except when summoning the lion and crafting Tears of Siyul, he hadn't used them. Somehow it feels wasteful.
"But how did you gather up to 100 points? That's amazing."
"I ground my body and soul."
Literally life-like points obtained by grinding everything.
Rosaria opened her drowsy eyes and looked at Seo-jin.
"That's not what I was asking~ Well, I won't pry into the details."
Rosaria spun around once as if being generous.
"So what about the name? The new magic system we'll create. Seo-jin Style Black Magic?"
At Rosaria's playful question, Seo-jin showed reluctance.
"I don't want to put my name in it."
It's not that proud a name, and it seems too self-aggrandizing. Most of all, he doesn't have the confidence to put it in his mouth and chant it.
"HUHU, a bit burdensome?"
"Yes. You recommend something. As an elder of Pandemonium, you should have decent insight."
Rosaria casually threw out words.
"Hmm, the martial art Talis taught you was Reverse Heaven Divine Technique, right? Let's go with a similar name to that. You like that too, don't you?"
A name similar to Reverse Heaven Divine Technique. She wants to make a name based on Chinese characters?
'That's good too.'
Seo-jin nodded.
This isn't simply for style.
Rosaria's words continued.
"First, it has few syllables needed for incantation so it's convenient, and it's also good for containing meaning due to the writing system."
Containing meaning.
This is the difference between phonetic and ideographic writing systems.
Rather than a collection of letters to express some speech sound, power is more likely to dwell in characters that symbolize the concept itself.
You might wonder what meaning that has in the Tower that transcends the limits of language and race, but that's a wrong perspective.
'Magic is a structure made by weaving magic power with the caster's strength.'
The caster's thoughts, origin, and life trajectory are essential to the method of weaving magic power and the structure of formation.
All the more so if it's new magic tailored to oneself.
Seo-jin closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then spoke the words that suddenly came to mind.
"Wolcheonjingyeong (越天眞經) - Transcending Heaven True Scripture."
Reverse Heaven (Yeokcheon). Simply rebelling against heaven isn't enough. If it's merely an attempt, there's no meaning.
Transcending Heaven (Wolcheon). In the end, he must surpass it.
Otherwise, humans will forever be merely their playthings.
He will reach the unknown existence called the 'Tower' that invited humanity to this land.
Rosaria smiled as if scolding Seo-jin, or as if pleased.
"HUHU. You're completely insane~? Transcending heaven?"
"Anyone can dream."
"Good. It's a name that's just like you. I like it."
CLAP-.
Rosaria clapped once to change the atmosphere.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Rosaria stood behind Seo-jin and placed her hand on his back.
SWOOSH-.
Magic circuits extending from Rosaria and temporarily connecting with Seo-jin's circuits.
This spread out like roots and took control of all of Seo-jin's magic circuits.
As one of the devotees of the magical path, she will help Seo-jin create his system.
"I, Rosaria Damore de Aspotata. Disciple of Circe Montmorency, will help Lee Seo-jin's great work."
"Lee Seo-jin, disciple of Circe Montmorency. I request the help of Rosaria, elder of Pandemonium."
Creation of a new magic system.
This is originally the role of his master Circe, but her main body is currently in a resting period and it's difficult to help with a doll's body.
So her close friend Rosaria took on this task.
Still, the Energy Core that Circe left as a gift will help with this work.
She who finished the oath whispered in Seo-jin's ear.
"Then shall we start with Black Lightning? Black Lightning is very basic black magic. It's also one of the three major attack attributes represented by fire, ice, and electricity."
CRACKLE-.
When Rosaria infused magic power into the circuits, that magic power flowed through Seo-jin's circuits and emitted light.
As they entered full-scale work, Rosaria's playful eyes grew serious.
Her red pupils harboring chaos shone, and the essence of the magical path poured from her mouth.
"Its origin is severance and connection. Lightning is powerful enough to cut through anything, but it continues to connect and transmit power. That contradiction is the source of destructive power."
CRACKLE- CRACKLE-.
"Analyze and combine that contradiction. That becomes your unique magic."
Seo-jin controlled the magic power swirling inside his body and wove it into his own structure.
It was magic he had used thousands of times, so it seemed there was no room for further improvement.
'I can see it.'
With the help of the elder of the magical path, as he contacted his origin, a new path was understood.
Amidst his vision flickering between black and white, lightning flashed from his fingertips.
CRACKLE-.
It's not simple severance.
The power to see through the target's flow and strike the weakest point to cut it.
And it connects.
It spews out the violent flow of electric charge like an endless river.
"Grant it a name and engrave that existence into the world."
As if responding to Rosaria's declaration, Seo-jin parted his lips.
'True Black Lightning.'
No.
"Cheonroe (天雷) - Heaven's Thunder."
FLASH-.
In an instant, the valley brightened and rays of electric charge split the darkness.
The trace of light rays that pierced through the valley like a rail gun.
CRACKLE- CRACK-.
Dark blue currents writhed over the destroyed remnants.
Lightning that tore through the sky, extending from Seo-jin's hand.
And.
CREEP- CREEP-.
Beings that felt that intense magic power aura slowly revealed themselves from the darkness of the valley.
Creatures on the edge of existence that live gathered in valleys full of ominous magic power and are naturally drawn to strong power.
They have no fixed form or reason, and don't have any activities or ecology that life forms should naturally have.
Shadows that just move instinctively, craving strong magic power.
Some call them Tam (貪) - Greed.
CREEEEP-.
Tam moving like mud, gathering like bugs to gradually form a shape.
This was the second reason for choosing this valley as the location.
Rosaria moved to the next stage as if good test subjects had appeared.
"Good. Gather the flow of lightning together. What is its source?"
If it's the source, it would naturally be clouds.
"Severance and connection, here we add one more origin. Condensation and scattering are correct, but more important is 'embracing.'"
SHAAA-.
Magic power particles swirled around Seo-jin's grasp and soon created black clouds.
CRACKLE- CRACKLE-.
Positive and negative charges striking each other within the clouds.
Clouds embrace lightning.
Lightning originally strikes from above to below.
But lightning doesn't always strike only toward the ground.
Lightning that strikes toward the sky is stronger.
"Noeunmyeolcheon (雷雲滅天) - Thunder Cloud Destroys Heaven."
Simultaneously with Seo-jin's recitation, everything before his eyes turned pure white.
His hands became hot. At the same time, tinnitus rings in his ears.
He couldn’t see or hear. But he could feel it.
A storm of lightning and thunder beyond limits cuts and tears apart the beings before him.
The Tam that had been tangling together and growing in size evaporated as soon as they touched the light rays.
The scene was visible when his vision recovered.
As if a giant dragon had swept through, the valley had become wider, and certain parts had changed into gentle hills.
The power of magic that changed the terrain before his eyes.
However.
CREEP- CREEP-.
The formless Tam gathered again like mud and didn't stop craving Seo-jin's magic power.
No, the stronger the magic power they felt, the more they clumped together and grew.
That's what Tam is.
Looking at the Tam, Rosaria continued speaking.
"Weave it. And bind it. Chains that embrace origin can restrain even gods."
Let alone shadows that can't even reach the edge of existence.
"Bongshingyeol (封神結) - God Binding Knot."
RUMBLE-!
Chains that bind gods tore through the valley.
The Tam that had become huge like a hill was also torn to shreds.
Now even looking at the scene before him doesn't feel real.
As if his body is naturally floating, everything feels distantly far away.
Only Rosaria's voice echoes in his head amidst all this.
"Weave again, and embrace."
Origin analyzes, combines, and merges magic.
"Lightning flows and burns. If it's chains of Reverse Heaven that bind even gods, then it will cut off that divinity and bestow mortality's downfall."
"Myeolshincheonroegyeol (滅神天雷結) - God Destroying Heaven Thunder Knot."
Bundles of chains embracing lightning's power tear through the valley like serpents, making it into complete flatland.
But the scattered Tam gathered again and remained intact.
It now looked as huge as a mountain range.
But there's no fear.
"Transcend it. With a mortal's body. Beyond the Tower to the end of that sky."
"Wolcheonbo (越天步) - Transcending Heaven Step."
His body rises.
Even the huge mountain range is placed beneath his feet.
The elder of the magical path who ascended together, treading on the sky, declares to Seo-jin.
Her recitation that saw through Seo-jin's imperfect flesh and mind, and his history of failures.
"Punish heaven with human power. Even though we were made as imperfect beings, we endlessly converge toward perfection. Rise up in defiance and make heaven ashamed. That arrogant declaration is your magical path."
Seo-jin proclaimed his path, containing long-held anger and yearning.
The magical path that destroys heaven. That is his way.
"Madopacheon (魔道破天) - Magical Path Breaks Heaven."