Chapter 401
［Kang Junhyuk [Solo] : Her personality has changed a bit… her way of speaking too… Did you give noona any items or skills?］
［Kang Taesan [Solo] : If I was going to give something, I would’ve given it to you as well. The reason she changed isn’t because of me.］
Taesan did hand over Maria’s flower ornament, but it was simply a medium to help recover her memories. The reason she changed was within herself.
［Kang Junhyuk [Solo] : It’s not a bad thing to go down quickly… but I’m a bit worried. What if something big happens?］
Junhyuk’s message was filled with anxiety and concern.
［Kang Taesan [Solo] : There shouldn’t be any big problems. I’ll talk to her, so don’t worry too much.］
［Kang Junhyuk [Solo] : Okay. Thanks, hyung.］
Taesan ended the conversation with Junhyuk and started talking to Lee Taeyeon again.
After quite some time, she responded.
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : Ah. Sorry. I was fighting a boss, so I checked late.］
［Kang Taesan [Solo]: Which floor are you on?］
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : 55th floor.］
What was the monster on the 55th floor? It was a floor cleared so quickly that he couldn’t remember clearly. After thinking back, Taesan recalled.
［Kang Taesan [Solo] : If I remember right, it was a monster that interfered with your mind.］
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : Yeah. But I cleared Solo mode, so mental stuff is no problem for me.］
Taeyeon had certainly cleared the labyrinth by unconventional means, and she had been mentally weak.
But that was due to her own struggles and self-doubt. Her willpower itself was far stronger than an ordinary adventurer’s. Now that her memories had returned, there was no way she would be affected by a regular monster’s mind interference.
［Kang Taesan [Solo] : Aren’t you going down too fast?］
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : It’s fine. I already know all the floors anyway. The strategies themselves are simple. God’s trials were a bit tough… but even those weren’t a problem.］
Taeyeon had always cleared each floor with everything she had. That meant her memories of the floors were solid as well.
If she had the experience and knowledge she gained from clearing the Deep Layer, she would certainly be able to descend without problems up to there.
But Taesan hadn’t expected Taeyeon to be in such a rush. There was nothing to gain from clearing the labyrinth quickly.
［Kang Taesan [Solo] : Why are you going down so fast?］
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : Because I can’t leave you alone.］
Taesan paused.
After a moment of silence, Taesan replied.
［Kang Taesan [Solo]: I don’t mind.］
［Lee Taeyeon [Solo] : I know. This is just for my own satisfaction.］
After talking a bit more, Taesan closed the community.
He felt strange.
If anyone was about to clear the labyrinth, he planned to tell them to wait, to get as strong as possible, and clear it together with everyone.
Then he would return to Earth alone and take care of the monsters.
Taeyeon knew what Taesan was thinking.
That must be why she said she couldn’t leave him alone.
He wasn’t alone.
It was a very curious feeling. But it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, it felt good.
Taesan calmed his mind and continued to check his rewards.
［Title: Alone and Whole Body］
［A body alone and untouched by anything.］
［Resistance to all physical status conditions is extremely high.］
A title that was useless to Taesan had been made useful by the magician. Now, when it came to poisons or paralysis, status conditions basically meant nothing to Taesan.
［Special Passive Skill: Immortal Mind]
［Proficiency: 1%］
［As long as your will is unbroken, neither your mind nor your body will yield. You can move your body beyond its limits through mental strength.］
‘So I can move my body by willpower alone.’
It didn’t seem like it would be that helpful to Taesan, but it wasn’t a bad thing to have.
And then there was the special active skill.
［Special Active Skill: Authority Seal］
［Mana Cost: 1］
［Seals absolute authority. If you wish, you can also seal your presence.］
Perhaps because it was directly created and given by the magician, it was a very unique skill. Taesan tried activating the skill.
[You have activated Authority Seal.]
[Oh?]
The ghost made a sound.
Taesan had become an immortal. The authority and presence that radiated from that rank were not something easily hidden.
But upon activating Authority Seal, all of that vanished completely.
Now, Taesan appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary adventurer with nothing special about him.
[This is pretty useful.]
Taesan summoned Minerva to check. Minerva appeared with an excited expression.
“Master! You finally reached immortality! You should have called me sooner! I had so many questions…”
Minerva stopped talking. She was flustered when she saw Taesan, who had no presence whatsoever.
“Huh? He definitely reached it, though?”
“Even a Spirit King with a direct contract can’t recognize me?”
Taesan released the Authority Seal. His presence spread throughout the labyrinth again. Minerva was startled.
“You can seal the presence of one who’s reached immortality? There’s a skill like that?”
“I got it from the magician who made the labyrinth. Not bad.”
He could conceal his presence at will. He didn’t know what kinds of floors would appear next, but it seemed it would be useful.
“To think the one who created the labyrinth could do things like this… Amazing.”
Minerva looked around the labyrinth with fascination, then spoke up.
“Anyway, congratulations, Master. To transcend mortality… It’s something almost unheard of in the entire universe for my contractor to achieve that.”
Her words were not empty. Even in the labyrinth, where the strongest from each world gathered, adventurers who transcended mortality were rare. Reaching immortality was a rare event even by universal standards.
But Minerva spoke with a vague expression.
“It’s enough to make me proud, but… I wonder how much help I’ll be to you now.”
Taesan was now an immortal. As the magician said, from now on the labyrinth would change to match his level. Minerva was certainly strong, but she was still far from immortality.
“You have things to do in your own way.”
Even when Taesan didn’t pay attention, the spirit moved on its own and was very useful outside of battle as well.
After talking with Minerva about various things, Taesan started checking the rest.
[Thread of Collapse.]
[A thread created by compressing the power of collapse. For ordinary beings, touching it alone would make their entire body collapse.]
[Ring of Endless Collapse.]
[Attack Power +500]
[A ring with the power to destroy everything around it simply by existing. If the user’s rank and strength are lacking, it will destroy the user’s body.]
A material item. And a ring with decent performance. Looking at the ring, his eyes fell once again on the twin rings that had evolved after reaching immortality.
The white and black rings.
Now that he was an immortal, the power of these rings was extremely stable.
The black ring’s attack power had increased from 1,500 to 2,000. It far surpassed most weapons. An additional explanation was added to the white ring stating that its will could use divinity to assist Taesan.
But it still wasn’t enough.
Taesan fiddled with the pair of rings.
The skill to combine two equals into one—Together as One.
He could definitely use it now. If he combined the white and black rings into one, their power would surely increase greatly.
But not yet. He planned to go to Haphran and complete his checks before trying.
Having finished organizing, Taesan headed to the 81st floor.
Leaving the quietly smiling shopkeeper behind, he stepped onto the 81st floor, where he saw a familiar altar.
[81st Floor Quest Start.]
[Pass the trial of Zervand.]
[Reward: Staff of Flowing Sound.]
[Secret Reward: ???]
—
The altar of the God of Magic, Zervand, appeared.
When he approached the altar and placed his hand on it, power from the altar enveloped Taesan.
Taesan nodded.
Power expanded, and the world changed.
A black space filled with starlight, like a galaxy.
This was the domain of the God of Magic.
[You’ve arrived.]
“Greetings.”
Zervand stood alone in the galaxy, waiting for Taesan. Taesan bowed respectfully. Zervand waved a hand.
[That’s enough. You are now an immortal. You may not have your own domain yet, but you have surpassed mortality. You don’t need to be so formal.]
“Even so.”
Zervand was overwhelmingly stronger than Taesan.
Perhaps knowing that, Zervand gave a wry smile.
[Meaningless words, I suppose. Do as you wish.]
Zervand created a chair and sat down.
[You know what you’ll gain this time, don’t you?]
“Advanced magic, I assume.”
[Correct. Advanced magic is a power even those with extraordinary talent who dedicate their lives to magic rarely attain. So, I will give you a trial related to it. Will you accept?]
Zervand spoke up.
“Yes.”
Finally, advanced magic. The gap between basic and intermediate magic was like heaven and earth. After obtaining intermediate magic, he’d hardly used the basic magic that had once been so useful.
So what level was advanced magic?
He was very curious.
Zervand grinned.
[Good. I’ll take you to the place of trial. You’ll have to see the details for yourself.]
The God of Magic snapped his fingers. The space around Taesan accelerated.
Countless galaxies passed by, and Taesan arrived at a certain place.
It was a tower.
In a completely empty white space stood a single, endless tower.
“So this is the place of trial.”
[Seems so?]
Taesan headed for the magic tower. When he opened the small door and went inside, eight people were waiting for him.
“Oh. He’s here!”
“…Hmph. I don’t like him.”
“I don’t feel anything at all. Did Zervand-sama really approve advanced magic for him?”
Voices mixed with curiosity, irritation, and distrust overlapped.
Powerful waves of mana radiated from all of them.
Their mana was all different—there was no sense of unity. It seemed each used a unique type of magic.
And among them, one person stood out with especially powerful presence.
An old man in an ashen robe, wearing a pointed hat, with a long white beard.
A textbook image of a magician, standing at the center of the group.
The old man silently stared at Taesan. There was a strange light in his eyes.
Taesan was also quietly surprised when he saw the old man.
‘Immortal.’
“Hello! Nice to meet you!”
A woman who’d looked at Taesan with curiosity smiled and waved.
“We all heard about you from Zervand-sama, but since it’s your first time, there must be a lot you don’t know, right? Ask away! Is there anything you’re curious about?”
“What kind of place is this?”
“It’s simple.”
The woman proudly placed her hand on her chest.
“We’re magicians chosen by Zervand-sama!”
“Chosen?”
“Madmen obsessed with magic. Of those who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of magic, only a tiny fraction are chosen by Zervand-sama. The ones gathered here endlessly research and train in magic. This place is the Magic Tower of Eternity!”
A place where magicians gather—the Magic Tower of Eternity.
She raised a finger.
“And we’re the resident magicians here! You can think of us as the examiners who will determine if you’re qualified to obtain advanced magic! Please take care of us for a while!”
[Subquest Start.]
[The God of Magic, Zervand, wishes to determine if you are qualified to obtain advanced magic. To do so, you must visit the Magic Tower of Eternity, where the magicians approved by Zervand gather. Be recognized by the seven magicians of the tower and pass the tower master’s test.]
[Condition: Recognition from the seven schools and the tower master.]
[Reward: Advanced Magic. Great Collapse.]
