Chapter 202
As Chronos said, something remained where Lil had disappeared.
‘A staff?’
At a glance, it looked like a staff.
But it wasn’t whole.
「It’s excellent even though it’s only half. The other half must be in the ‘Tower of God’.」
It had been cut in half. Only the handle remained, making it look more like a club.
Even so, the hexagram and rune words engraved along the handle were extraordinary.
Park Chan-woo slowly read the rune words.
‘Star Guide.’
One who listens to the stars and guides them.
A fitting name for the magic Lil had completed—Elysion.
‘Why didn’t it disappear?’
When a being from the Abyss dies, everything they possess usually vanishes.
Yet the staff remained, even if only half.
‘…Maybe the death of a Transcender is different from the death of an ordinary being.’
Didn’t they say a Transcender could be resurrected once they entered the Creator’s Realm?
If they were near-immortal beings, perhaps their deaths weren’t considered true deaths.
‘A gift….’
Even as she disappeared, Lil had left him half the staff.
Perhaps it was her congratulations for completing Elysion.
Unable to offer a final farewell, Park Chan-woo stared at the staff for a long time.
He honestly didn’t know if he deserved it.
「Why are you hesitating? Are you feeling a twinge of conscience?」
“……”
「You and Transcender Lil are both unnecessarily sentimental for those with such abilities. Those who walk the path of magic are usually devoid of emotion.」
Chronos wasn’t wrong.
Magic kills emotion.
Only by becoming emotionless—by cutting emotion away—could one wield magic with precision.
High-ranking mages were cold-blooded, the kind you couldn’t draw a drop of blood from even with a needle.
They were skeptical, pessimistic, negative.
Clap clap clap clap!
「But that’s what makes it even more wonderful. Magic is about dealing with the mysterious. You can only achieve greatness by approaching it with the purity of a child. Those whose emotions are dead can never see the ultimate truth.」
Chronos spoke with genuine conviction.
「Transcender Lil would be disappointed if you refused the gift. You need that staff to properly inherit her will. It’s no ordinary staff.」
He wasn’t refusing. He was only hesitating.
If he grabbed it the instant it was offered, wouldn’t he look shameless?
He shook his head and slowly wrapped his hand around the handle.
Then—
Whoosh!
The staff turned into smoke.
For a moment, he thought it was vanishing, but the smoke seeped into his body instead.
Ting!
[Qualification for inheritance has been confirmed.]
[The staff of ‘Transcender Lil’ is inherited by her disciple.]
[You have acquired half of the ‘Star Guide’.]
[The acquired ‘Star Guide’ begins to merge with the ‘World Tree Staff’ you possess.]
[The ‘World Tree Staff’ evolves into the ‘Staff of the Six Stars’!]
At the same time, a hexagram rose clearly from the base of the World Tree Staff.
But Park Chan-woo couldn’t take his eyes off the message.
“Inherited by her disciple.”
Lil had fully accepted him as her disciple.
Only then did he look at the evolved staff with trembling eyes.
Name: Staff of the Six Stars
Level: -61
Grade: Zero
Description: In ancient times, the ‘World Tree Staff,’ used only by the ‘Archmage,’ the greatest mage in a highly advanced magical civilization, has evolved anew by accepting the ‘Star Guide.’ The will of Lil, the transcender of mana and the sixth ‘constellation,’ is strongly imbued within.
★ Equipment Level is increased by 2 due to the ‘Immortal Emblem (99)’ effect.
★ Inherits existing options, and inherited options are enhanced.
Equipment Slot: Staff / One-Handed Weapon
Attack Power: 800
Durability: 15,000
Unique Options:
(1) Mana + 50
(2) Increases the grade of all magic by one level.
(3) Transcends one selected magic into ‘Legendary Magic.’
(4) Magic Penetration + 15%
(5) ‘Starcall’ effect on all magic
Unlocked Potential Abilities:
(1) Health +50
(2) Attack Power +600
(3) Attack Power +400
“……!”
The moment he finished reading, his pupils widened.
The World Tree Staff had already been nearing its replacement point.
He’d used it for a long time since obtaining it at Level -98.
Its grade was good, but its low Attack Power and Durability were increasingly disappointing.
The only reason he hadn’t replaced it was because of its Unique Options.
Especially the option that increased the grade of all magic by one level, and the ability to elevate a chosen spell—those were priceless.
‘…Everything has been enhanced.’
Not only had it kept the options, it had strengthened them.
A true evolutionary leap.
Even the level had shifted to match his current level.
「The other half will be in the ‘Tower of God.’ That is the real gift that Transcender Lil left behind.」
Tower of God.
He already had a message about it.
Towers of God had appeared across Earth, and he was told to do everything he could to climb them.
He’d never imagined Lil would be involved.
Park Chan-woo nodded and checked the remaining information.
‘Status Window.’
Affiliation: Earth / Human(?) / Republic of Korea
Name: Park Chan-woo
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height/Weight: 180cm / 67.8kg
Level: -63
Strength 164(1+163)
Stamina 169(1+168)
Agility 83(1+82)
Intelligence 145(1+144)
Mana 175(30+145)
Total Attack Power: 15,002(7,700+7,302)
Total Defense Power: 4,262 (1,260+3,002)
Status: [Weakest], [Nonexistent], [Terminal] (391 days), [Immune to All Poisons]
Total Penetration: 10%
Physical Penetration: 18%
Magic Penetration: 15%
Magic Crit: 32%
Magic Double Casting: 25%
Magic Casting Speed: 25%
Magic Effect: 25%
Mana Regeneration: 322%
Experience Acquisition Rate: 175%
Auras Applied:
Golden Aura (Attack and Defense doubled depending on the number of coins)
Seeker’s First Step (All stats +1 for every 10 coins, up to 50)
Fame Points: 1,150,400 (99th place)
==========
Special Notes:
Attack Power Efficiency based on Physical Stats: 30%
Attack Power Efficiency based on Mana Stats: 40%
==========
Class: Magic Swordsman (43Lv)
Available Magic:
Reflection (Unique),
Heaven’s Wrath (Lightning Magic, Unique),
Super Regeneration (Passive, Ancient),
Dimensional Interloper Charpham (Area Magic, Dimension),
Arahan’s Intermediate Swordsmanship (None),
Gradual Acceleration (Passive, Unique),
Elysion (Divine Spirit Magic, One Star)
Remaining Class Level Points: 0
==========
List of Abyss Items Possessed:
Easter Egg (001), Easter Egg (002), Mage’s Stone (Mana +35) Radiant Sage’s Stone (Intelligence +72), Emptiness (Eternal), Coin (401)
==========
Added Title:
One Who Has Accepted the Mana of a Transcender: Mana Efficiency +10%, Mana ‘Dominance’ Effect
“……”
Even the Status Window left him speechless.
The increase was nothing like before.
Most of all, his Attack Power had skyrocketed.
It had jumped by over 4,000 from just Fierce God Baal’s Sword and the Staff of the Six Stars.
But the Attack Power gained from his stats was even higher than the additional Attack Power from the equipment.
The reason was simple.
‘Because Attack Power Efficiency has risen sharply.’
That was why efficiency mattered.
It wasn’t enough to raise stats—you had to increase efficiency to amplify what those stats gave you.
Thanks to that, his total Attack Power was nearly 15,000.
‘If you only look at Attack Power, it’s comparable to a fully equipped Level 70.’
It could even surpass most Level 70s.
Around that point, they began wearing high-grade equipment, but gathering a full set took significant effort.
Even with everything, reaching 15,000 required the right conditions.
But amid all the shock, there was one thing he found hardest to believe.
‘…My base mana increased.’
It was a deeply moving moment.
It was only 30, but it shattered the prejudice that all stats were fixed at 1.
Maybe it was because he had inherited Transcender Lil’s mana.
The old rule had broken because mana itself had transcended.
Now that he knew it wasn’t absolute, there might be a way to increase it further.
Clench!
Park Chan-woo clenched his fist.
Lil was at the center of every one of these changes.
So—
‘I will definitely reach the top.’
Lil’s final legacy.
No matter what, he would conquer the Tower of God.
—
When he left the core of the laboratory, an unexpected scene awaited him.
Devil Merchant Dagon, Death’s Creator (Adora), and Ataraxia were all there.
“Great one. I trust you have been well.”
Ataraxia knelt on one knee the moment he spotted Park Chan-woo.
It had been about a month since the Second Night—the first time they’d met since then.
“It’s been a while.”
“Ah!”
Shiver!
Ataraxia trembled, his expression blissful, as if overwhelmed.
Park Chan-woo wondered if he’d said something strange.
“You remembered me! It is an honor, a great honor!”
…He was moved simply because Park Chan-woo remembered him.
After all, Dragon God Sephiro didn’t bother remembering “unnecessary things.”
Even if they were fellow dragons.
“Did the Black Witch send them?”
“That is correct. However, do not worry. We have captured all the witches sent by the ‘Black Witch,’ so there will be no leaks of information from this place.”
Three women were cowering nearby.
They all appeared to be witches.
“Deal with them as you see fit.”
“Understood.”
Adora nodded.
As a fellow witch, she would know best how to handle them.
Then—
Ataraxia cautiously spoke.
“……Great one, there is something I wish to say.”
“What is it?”
“By now, the ‘Black Witch’ will have noticed my betrayal.”
Certainly, if he returned alone, the Black Witch wouldn’t leave him untouched.
She could split his head open and dissect him, or drive him mad to force the truth out.
Ataraxia offered his plea.
Thud!
He slammed his forehead to the floor.
“I humbly beseech you. Please allow this lowly servant to follow in your great footsteps!”