Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 98
"WHEW, burned it completely white."
Rosaria smiled while wiping the sweat from her forehead.
The towering valley was gone, and the Tam (Greed) that seemed like it would regenerate endlessly was also gone.
All that remained was the completely flattened valley.
No, it had now become a plain that was overturned into a dirt field.
Seo-jin slowly rose from the center of it.
Thanks to Rosaria's help, he was able to successfully complete the creation of a new magic system.
More precisely, he had completed a new skill tree that perfectly matched Seo-jin's mana circuits and Origin.
TING-.
[A new skill tree has been opened.]
[You are the first climber to devise a dedicated magic system.]
[Your magic will be remembered in the world's records.]
[Wolcheonjingyeong (Transcending Heaven True Scripture)]
[You have succeeded in learning the basics of Wolcheonjingyeong.]
[Secret Skill: Wolcheonjingyeong Lv.1]
[Learning Cheonroe (Heaven's Thunder) is now possible.]
[Learning Bongshingyeol (God Binding Knot) is now possible.]
[Learning Wolcheonbo (Transcending Heaven Step) is now possible.]
A new magic system with names closer to martial arts than magic.
A magic system consisting of 20 types total: 10 offensive magic, 5 defensive magic, and 5 auxiliary magic.
Magic that perfectly matched Seo-jin's mana circuits and Origin.
Yet it was magic with an incredibly arrogant name.
To dare transcend heaven.
It was such an arrogant name that it was hard to believe he had named it himself.
But the power it possessed was as extraordinary as its name, literally enough to pierce through heaven.
It was worth consuming 100 achievement points.
[You have gained achievement points.]
[The elders of Pandemonium are paying attention to you.]
[You have acquired one of the qualifications of an elder.]
[You have subjugated the shadow of Tam (Greed).]
[Achievement 'Magical Path Practitioner' accomplished.]
[Achievement 'Abraxas' accomplished.]
Seo-jin dismissed the notification windows that kept appearing.
Meanwhile, Rosaria was puffing on her pipe and tapping her waist as if she was really exhausted.
"HAH YU, that was so tiring. I helped a friend's disciple out of goodwill, but the cost-benefit doesn't match at all. I should get some compensation for this."
It seemed like she was exaggerating, but without Rosaria's help, he wouldn't have been able to achieve this goal.
'All I did was analyze the structure of magic and design it into the desired form.'
It was Rosaria who wove together Seo-jin's Origin and mana to make the design possible, and it was also Rosaria who implemented that design into actual magic.
This meant that Rosaria had shouldered all the burden of that magic that had just shaken heaven and earth.
'Magic powerful enough to completely change the terrain.'
And to produce this level of firepower through the body of a half-baked human.
Even Rosaria, an elder of the magical path, must have consumed a considerable amount of power that couldn't be ignored.
Seo-jin slowly nodded.
"I'll properly take care of the compensation later."
Right now he had nothing to give. As he climbed the tower further, the day would come when he could repay this favor.
Rosaria winked slightly and looked over Seo-jin's body.
"Oh my, tonight would be fine too?"
"......"
When Seo-jin's face hardened, she erased her playful expression and spoke.
"Just kidding. The dedicated magic you carved into the world today, using it at your current level would be too much. You know that, right?"
Seo-jin nodded.
Today, he had merely 'carved' the magic called Wolcheonjingyeong into the world.
He had only created and carved a new concept under the tower's principles and corrections.
Using it freely was a separate matter.
'With my current condition, I can only occasionally use the early parts of Wolcheonjingyeong.'
Using more advanced Wolcheonjingyeong would come with great burden.
Creating a powerful magic system was good, but since it required considerable mana and mastery to handle, such problems arose.
But there was nothing else to worry about.
Although Rosaria had shouldered most of the burden, the magic was cast through Seo-jin's circuits.
The load and memories carved into Seo-jin's mana circuits would be of great help later when he fully mastered Wolcheonjingyeong.
Rosaria said.
"Your talent is better than I thought, so a monstrous magic was born. I got excited and let you do as you pleased, but... my position has become a bit difficult."
Like all black magic, Wolcheonjingyeong was magic that went against the world's basic principles.
It was natural that the high-ranking beings watching that arrogant declaration would find it distasteful.
No matter how powerful Rosaria was, drawing aggro from other beings wouldn't be good for her position.
"I'm sorry about that."
"So don't use it in places that are too conspicuous. This kind of magic draws the ire of great beings just by existing."
Seo-jin nodded.
Still, there probably wasn't much need to worry.
Seo-jin was already receiving more than enough attention.
Especially from Nimrod.
'No. If I think positively, maybe he'll become my shield.'
Nimrod was showing great interest in Seo-jin's progress.
He wouldn't let other great beings interfere arbitrarily and ruin Seo-jin's journey.
Rosaria patted Seo-jin's shoulder encouragingly and suggested they wrap things up.
"You won't be able to use it right away, but as your mastery improves, you'll be able to handle them one by one. Until then, work hard to level up and train your body. Keep striving, dear."
***
The guest room in the mage tower after returning from the magic creation work.
When Seo-jin collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes, Hyeon-wol, who had been quietly watching the situation, suddenly asked a question.
[Is your body alright? After doing something so tremendous.]
Seo-jin answered with only his mouth open while keeping his eyes closed.
"That perverted witch took on most of the burden, so I'm fine."
[That witch won't keep shouldering the burden for you forever, will she? Won't it be bad for your body when the magic's power gets stronger?]
It was a reasonable question. Strong black magic naturally brought strong backlash.
However, if the magic was appropriately modified based on the caster's Origin, it could increase power while reducing side effects.
Also, it could produce powerful effects with less mana consumption.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it had evolved in every aspect.
"It is bad for the body. But it would be worse to produce the same power with other magic."
[Hmm, so while it's absolutely bad for your body due to the increased power, it's relatively better considering various efficiencies.]
"Exactly."
At Seo-jin's answer, Hyeon-wol, who had been lost in thought, asked.
[Do you... have a goal you want to achieve so desperately that you'd go that far?]
Seo-jin, who dismissed the life-threatening risks of black magic as merely a matter of efficiency.
Did he have a goal he wanted to achieve that desperately?
'His driving force and determination toward his goal.'
And the mental strength to endure the pain that inevitably comes in the process.
Nothing about him was ordinary.
Watching him this closely and continuously, even a fool would notice.
That this person had some desperate goal.
"Of course I do. It's what all climbers aim for."
Seo-jin, lying on the bed, reached his hand toward the ceiling.
Reaching the end of the tower.
Could there be any greater goal for a climber?
To this, Hyeon-wol added a comment.
[It seems like you have something more than that.]
Hyeon-wol, who had been by Seo-jin's side watching him all this time, had noticed there was a goal beyond that.
'Of course there is.'
Climb to the top of the tower, prevent the collapse, and save humanity.
And find and take revenge on those who contributed to killing me.
I've been living like a dog just for that.
"Salvation, and revenge."
At Seo-jin's quiet murmur, Hyeon-wol let out a small sigh.
[Oh my, talking about transcending heaven and such, have you fallen into delusions of grandeur?]
"......"
Without explaining the circumstances, talking about salvation and revenge sounded pathetic, so it was a natural reaction.
Seo-jin turned over abruptly and said.
"Think whatever you want."
[......Right.]
Although she spoke jokingly, Hyeon-wol engraved the words salvation and revenge that Seo-jin had mentioned in her mind.
Both salvation and revenge were heavy goals for one person to bear.
Who could easily save others?
And how vain and fleeting was revenge?
Moreover, if both were his goals, this guy was walking a path that was far too difficult and treacherous.
When the atmosphere had grown heavy.
Chattering sounds came from the corridor outside the guest room.
It seemed like a climber who had passed the test and been admitted to Pandemonium had appeared.
'Should I go see who it is?'
Seo-jin put on the Mask of Ten Thousand Forms and got up.
***
"This... I can't use it anymore. It's not respectful to the weapon, and practically useless too."
The floating island region of Valhalla. Se-yeon's training island.
Looking at the practice sword that Se-yeon always used - no, the lump of iron - Talis narrowed his eyes.
The blade had long since worn dull, and even the shape was twisted to the point where it couldn't function properly.
This was just closer to a lump of iron.
"You've climbed to the 12th floor, shouldn't you have at least one proper weapon?"
"......I didn't particularly need one."
This iron sword had been sufficient until now.
The weapon's form or sharpness didn't matter.
As long as it could contain her rampaging power, even a tree branch would suffice.
Let alone a sword. Buying a good one was a luxury.
It would just break soon and become a lump of iron anyway.
When Se-yeon answered as if she didn't care, Talis immediately grabbed her head and knocked it.
WHACK-.
"UGH."
"What, are you trying to say that a master doesn't choose weapons? What nonsense!"
Talis' expression looked quite stern, as if Se-yeon's mindset didn't please him at all.
"A master is stronger when holding a good weapon. If a master with a cheap sword fights a master with a famous sword, naturally the latter wins."
"......"
Well, that would be common sense.
As Se-yeon rubbed the bump on her head, Talis sighed and said.
"I can give you a few weapons. Up to what the world calls A-grade."
What could be passed on to a disciple was only teachings.
There were limits to transferring actual goods directly.
For instance, if transferring artifacts, the permitted grade was up to A-grade.
A-grade artifacts would sell for over a billion if put on the market, but they seemed a bit shabby to be called gifts from the tower's great beings.
After thinking for a moment, Talis asked.
"Do you happen to have anything else? Something deeply connected to you or good materials?"
He couldn't give items directly, but processing materials wouldn't be a problem.
"......"
Se-yeon thought for a moment, then rummaged through the bag she received from Seo-jin.
And she took out one item and handed it to Talis.
"How about this?"
The item that Seo-jin had left in Primgard's Garden of Spring.
It was a gift he had given as encouragement, saying she had done well climbing to the 10th floor alone.
"Oh ho, this is."
Talis' eyes lit up when he saw the item Se-yeon handed him.