Chapter 238
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Brilliant Archmage's Warehouse
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Jang Ha-jin and Bong-gu picked up their pickaxes and started walking.
A little further in, there were piles of minerals labeled EXP.
"Bro, there are EXP-labeled ores here!"
"Let's mine them quick."
"Yes!"
Bong-gu hurriedly began swinging his pickaxe.
Thanks to it being a Unique-grade pickaxe, the mining was incredibly easy.
As they mined the experience ores, the minerals vanished, and a message appeared in front of him.
You have acquired 2,000,000 experience points.
One mining swing netted a whopping 2 million experience points.
That was the amount you'd need nearly an hour of hunting to earn, yet they'd gotten it in a single swing.
And 2 million wasn't even the end of it.
You have acquired 5,000,000 experience points.
Some ores gave 5 million experience.
"This is insane... Now I get why Hoon said he broke through to level 301 so fast."
Jang Ha-jin kept marveling even as he mined.
The EXP-labeled minerals seemed endless no matter how many they dug up, and with repeated experience gains, their levels shot up rapidly.
"Wow... We're not stopping at 301we might hit 350."
"Who knows. They say once you pass 301, the experience needed for level-ups doubles."
"It doubles here...? That's the worst."
No wonder rankers were rankers.
"Still, getting past 301 is something. Let's mine as much as we can."
They only had two hours.
Every minute and second felt precious in this unbelievably sweet time.
On top of that, they had to worry about filming.
They planned to edit the footage into a video and upload it to NewTube.
'Damn! If I'd known even a little sooner, I'd have snagged that hidden theme myself.'
'Puhaha, if you're that pissed, you should've found it before me.'
'You annoying bastard...'
A conversation between Alessandro Braiden and Liu Xiaolong.
The topic was the hidden theme Alessandro had been desperately hunting for.
He'd scoured everywhere like a madman for hidden themes, but a mage traveling with Liu Xiaolong had snatched this one.
'It's right here.'
Hidden theme.
Jeong Hoon, once called the All Master before his regression, didn't actually consider himself one.
'Not like I reached the peak in every field.'
Jeong Hoon hadn't reached the pinnacle.
It was just a nickname that naturally stuck because he'd elevated every field to a certain level.
Especially magiche could only use Magic Missile, after all.
'What a joke of a title.'
The magic he knew now was still just Magic Missile.
Learned through Unyielding Will, it was Legendary-grade and max level.
Then Lightning Bolt.
Still Epic, and Block was Legendary.
With only three spells under his belt, he planned to pick up more magic in this hidden theme.
Jeong Hoon's steps, which had been moving without hesitation, suddenly stopped.
'Found it.'
A familiar crystal orb embedded there.
It was the very orb that had guided him to a hidden theme before.
'Alright, let's get started.'
No need to mine it with a pickaxe.
Jeong Hoon placed his hand on the crystal orb.
An exclamation mark appeared above it.
You have discovered a hidden theme!
You have acquired 5,000 achievement points!
Hidden theme discovered.
Would you like to move to the Brilliant Archmage's Warehouse?
"I'm moving."
As Jeong Hoon accepted, his body was enveloped in blue light and sucked into the crystal orb.
You have entered the Brilliant Archmage's Warehouse.
10,000 additional achievement points have been granted.
The new hidden theme: Brilliant Archmage's Warehouse.
It was called a warehouse, but the space was so vast it hardly fit the name.
'Brilliant Archmage.'
There was only one mage with that title.
Sol, the God of Magic.
This radiant vein was one of the provisions he'd set up after reaching the pinnacle of white magic and earning the title of god.
'I visited once before.'
Jeong Hoon had already visited two hidden themes.
One was the Mana-Rich Field.
A provision designed to easily inscribe circles.
The second was Sol's Hall.
Unlike the others, that hall was a provision made by his disciples, where he'd learned Lightning Bolt and Block.
'This Brilliant Archmage's Warehouse was made by Sol himself.'
Unlike Sol's Hall, this was the archmage's warehouse where Sol himself had resided.
He had a habit of choosing places no one would find as his dwelling, and this volcano was one such spot.
Originally not a volcano, it had been a dwelling in another dimension.
But as the game became reality, it transformed into a hidden theme nestled in the middle of a volcanic cliff.
"Alright, let's take a look around."
A precious chance to learn new magic and stack additional circles at the same time.
Jeong Hoon began examining the tools Sol had used, one by one.
Most were magical artifacts, with provisions embedded in them for anyone who visited.
'He wanted someone to end the game.'
These provisions were set up in a dimension that had already perished.
Out of a desperate wish for later generations to end this filthy game.
You have discovered a mana-rich grimoire.
Things like this.
Jeong Hoon picked up the worn grimoire.
It glowed and seeped into his body.
An additional circle is inscribed.
Your circles have risen to '4'.
Just by taking the grimoire, he'd jumped to 4 circles.
A full two stages in one go.
'No wonder Alessandro regretted it so much.'
It was a hidden theme incomparable to Sol's Hall.
And the provisions were just getting started.
The next magical artifact Jeong Hoon picked up was a staff.
It looked like an ordinary tree branch, but this was one of the staffs Sol himself had wielded.
You have discovered the Radiant Staff of Sol.
You can randomly learn one spell up to your current circle level.
Thereafter, each time your circles increase, you can randomly learn a spell for that circle.
A staff that automatically taught the magic of Sol, the pinnacle of white magic.
A provision more vital than ever for Jeong Hoon, who couldn't learn spells normally.
Jeong Hoon pocketed the staff.
It wasn't for combat, but he'd need it every time he increased his circles to learn new spells.
'Assuming I get to 9 circles, that means I can learn 9th-circle magic right away.'
Alessandro Braiden.
Even he hadn't breached the wall of 9 circles.
If he'd visited here, he would have shattered that wall.
That's why he'd regretted losing the hidden theme to Liu Xiaolong so bitterly.
Easily raising those notoriously hard-to-level circles was secondary; it was a cheat key for instantly learning new spells.
Jeong Hoon channeled mana into the staff.
It glowed once and seeped into him.
You have learned Fly (Epic).
3rd-circle spell: Fly.
Jeong Hoon's lips curved up.
'Perfect. Out of all those spells, I got Fly.'
Now he could fly freely.
But it wasn't over yet.
You have acquired Holy Orb of Glory (Legendary).
Jeong Hoon's eyes widened.
'Holy Orb of Glory?'
A spell automatically acquired upon reaching 4 circles.
But it was one he'd never seen before.
Holy Orb of Glory
-Type: Active
-Level: 1
-Grade: Legendary
-Consumes 20 mana to purify everything on a designated target. (Will not activate if the rank difference is too great.)
-Cooldown: 240 seconds
Not a combat or buff skill.
But Jeong Hoon was certain this was a spell only Sol could wield.
Because Sol mainly handled light-attribute magic.
Light attributes were exceedingly rare, with most mages stuck at basics.
And he'd learned a light-attribute spell at once.
Not basicsa full 4th-circle spell, no less.
It would surely prove useful someday.
Jeong Hoon stowed the staff in his inventory and looked around the warehouse some more.
'There should be one more.'
According to Liu Xiaolong, three provisions had been found.
Jeong Hoon finally stopped walking.
Before him was a wall with a portrait hanging on it.
A massive portrait depicting Sol.
"This is it."
Jeong Hoon placed his hand on the portrait.
It glowed and seeped into his hand.
You acquire all accumulated experience points.
The last one was experience.
Your level has increased.
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1 granted.
.
.
.
His level began skyrocketing.
'Passed 400 in an instant.'
431.
He'd gained enough experience to reach level 431.
"This is crazy. Now I can go straight into the 5th advancement."
The 5th job change quest, only available after level 401.
Of course, the 5th wasn't simple.
Ultimate energy is insufficient.
Cannot start 5th job change quest.
But he still couldn't start the 5th.
Hidden class.
Martial Sovereign, which was Legendary-grade.
To advance further, he needed to fill his ultimate energy to 100.
'That's how I'll match Demon King-grade.'
Even with all buffs, he could only take down Apostle-grade right now.
Meaning he hadn't reached Demon King-grade yet.
It was then.
The ultimate energy gathered by Sol is transferred.
You have additionally acquired 36.8 ultimate energy.
He'd gained a massive 36.8 energy in an instant.
'Why...?'
Jeong Hoon's eyes shook.
According to what he'd heard from Liu Xiaolong, it should have ended with the experience gain.
At that moment, the Sol in the portrait vanished without a trace.
I've been waiting for this moment.
And an unfamiliar voice echoed in Jeong Hoon's mind.
Jeong Hoon instantly recognized it as Sol's.
"Sol?"
Yes. That's what people called me.
"...How?"
Because you've opened the path to the ultimate.
Ultimate path.
Earned qualification by gathering 8 ultimate energy.
"So that's how you could reach me?"
More precisely, I set it to respond only to those who qualify.
"I see. So why did you reach out?"
One question first. How long has it been since this game rampaged?
"Not that long."
...Really? What about penalties?
"Haven't taken a single one."
Is that true?!
Sol responded in an excited voice.
Jeong Hoon nodded.
"Yes."
...You're different.
"From what?"
Ending the game. Stopping these absurd tragedies from repeating.
"I'll do that even without you telling me."
Good... Then take these coordinates and go there.
A message appeared before Jeong Hoon.
.
"Where's this?"
Something there should help with your Ultimate Path quest.
"Yeah?"
...It's a path even I couldn't breach. I hope you break through it and confront the Designer.
Sol knew about the Designer too.
Meaning he'd already reached the Designer once.
"Then tell me about the Designer."
I can't.
"You don't know?"
Jeong Hoon frowned.
It wasn't the answer he wanted.
Sorry. That's not something I can interfere with.
"You... You're in the Designer's grasp, aren't you."
......
Sol didn't answer.
But that silence was answer enough.
"So you're saying no matter how I struggle, it's pointless?"
Jeong Hoon's lips twisted upward.
Sol being able to intervene to this extent must have been allowed by the Designer.
'Designer, I'll make you regret this for sure.'