Chapter 296: The Lost Language (2)
[The language of the pillar reveals its true form.]
Engraved within the characters representing the lost language were also symbols of a language that did not belong to this world.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Jinhyuk’s heart pounded wildly.
In the past, when climbing the Tower of Trials, he couldn’t grasp the lost language, leaving him with limited information.
Only now did he understand what this language encompassed.
[De Ferrium Hon Macadamacia]
It was the language of the Cthulhu deities.
And its implication was singular.
If one perfectly mastered the lost language…
…they could wield the power of the 50th floor.
Furthermore,
Among the lost languages, aside from the ones used by Cthulhu entities, there were other characters whose meanings remained unknown despite liberating the pillar.
‘Is there something more?’
Although Saeyoung Eonhwan mentioned that the 50th floor had completely changed, it seemed something even greater was lurking.
‘Interesting.’
Jinhyuk’s lips curled upward.
This is why he couldn’t stop climbing the tower.
No matter how dangerous and desperate the situation, there were always things that continued to stimulate his nerves.
‘To think it can be synthesized like this… Ho. This is surprising too? This part… I have no idea. Truly endless.’
Jinhyuk meticulously memorized the runes.
However, simply memorizing wasn’t enough to master the new language.
This was a language not for communication but for creating barriers.
To see what was unseen as a rune interpreter, the first advancement of a barrier master…
‘I too must reach that level.’
Advancement quest.
All of this was to complete this quest.
Magic concentrated at Jinhyuk’s fingertips.
Runes on the 12 pillars recombined, forming a rune that signified ‘Finale’.
Pazzz!
The disconnected magic reconnected as one.
At that moment…
[The conditions to learn the lost barrier have been met.]
[Initiating the second advancement trial.]
A status window appeared as if it had been waiting.
Wuuuuung!
With a bright light, starlight poured down from the sky.
…It begins.
—
Step.
Footsteps echoed at that moment.
A black-haired man in a white robe emerged from the starlight.
Even without a word, Jinhyuk knew who it was.
Belthor de Roanmask.
A weirdo from an ancient kingdom thousands of years older than the current empire, who specialized in barrier arts during his life.
At the same time, he was a legend who reached heights in barrier arts that no one else had.
‘So the second advancement quest is to face this man.’
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
Belthor had been dead for a long time.
The current appearance must be a projection of his past self.
Of course, his existence might be fake, but his skills were not.
This entire area was already engulfed in his barrier.
‘The title of strongest of all time seems not to be an exaggeration.’
[Eye of Gluttony] quickly scanned the opponent’s status window.
[Ding!]
—
**Name:** Belthor de Roanmask
**Gender:** Male
**Age:** ???
**Level:** 294
**Strength:** 43
**Agility:** 55
**Stamina:** 36
**Magic:** 36
**Rune Comprehension:** 519
**Stat Points:** 0
**Occupation:** Ruler of Runes
**Unique Abilities:** Ancient Barrier
**Skills:** ‘Language Decoding’ Lv35, ‘Runology’ Lv33, ‘Blink’ Lv33, ‘Magic Absorption’ Lv31, ‘High-Speed Calculation’ Lv31
—
[Copy Condition: Passing the second advancement trial will allow you to copy one of his unique abilities or skills.]
As expected.
The copy condition was also related to the trial.
Through advancement, acquiring both unique abilities and skills made this an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
This had to be a success at any cost.
But at that moment…
“Wow. Which idiot not only chose to be a barrier master but also wants to advance to the second level?”
Belthor scratched his head incredulously.
Jinhyuk didn’t expect a solemn tone, but he thought someone who excelled in a field would have some pride in his profession.
What was this reaction?
However, before Jinhyuk could process his surprise, Belthor continued his questions.
“Why did you do it?”
“…Excuse me?”
“No, why choose such a trashy profession and walk a path of suffering? It’s hard and difficult, right? Besides, the results are hardly worth the effort. I almost died mastering this, and even then, I had to bow to those in the upper floors of the tower. It’s not too late; give up on the advancement trial and choose another profession. You can still switch until the second advancement.”
Belthor’s complaints poured out like a rapid-fire cannon.
The barrier master profession was unpopular for a reason.
The investment-to-output ratio was abysmally low, so it made sense.
However,
“Though I haven’t trained in this field as long as you have… it wasn’t so bad. Creating one’s world through barriers was quite appealing.”
This was Jinhyuk’s genuine feeling.
At first, he chose it just for fun and for trolling others.
But as time went by, he found the profession more precious.
He wanted to continue with it and aspired to reach higher levels.
“You’re quite the oddball. Even after advice, you won’t listen.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment from a great senior.”
“Sigh… well, alright.”
Belthor finally shrugged in resignation.
“So, you want to advance, right? The test is simple. Use all the barrier techniques you’ve learned to trap me. If you can bind me for even a second, I’ll consider it a pass.”
“Only with barriers… you say?”
“Of course, I’ll only use basic breaking techniques. This test is to see if your level can move to the next stage, so don’t worry too much. Skilled individuals can pass it in about three months.”
“Hmm. Three months is a bit much. I’m quite busy, you see.”
Jinhyuk glanced to the side.
Down the hill, the mirror breaking the boundary shook violently as if it might close any moment.
Thanks to his growth, the 30-minute limit when he first obtained it wasn’t in effect, but…
Time was still not on his side.
“How much time do you have left?”
“Three hours.”
“…Not three months, but three hours?”
“Exactly. Now it’s 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds.”
“…”
Belthor looked at Jinhyuk in disbelief.
“I was a fool to expect anything. Just go. It’s impossible to even do four-layered calculations at your level; passing my test is…”
But Belthor couldn’t finish his sentence.
White runes started to float around Jinhyuk.
Three layers… four layers, and even beyond, forming a perfect five-layered barrier.
“If it’s about four-layered calculations… well, like this?”
“Ho…”
A curious admiration escaped Belthor’s lips.
—
“Huu…”
Alice let out a long sigh.
Her snow-white hair was tattered in places.
Her mask, damaged from the fierce battle, lay shattered.
Of course, her opponent, who had faced her intense power, wasn’t unscathed either.
“Grrr… Argh…”
With his body pierced by a crimson spear, his survival seemed doubtful.
Yet,
Despite his horrific state, the creature didn’t give up the fight.
Wuuung!
[‘The Axe of a Thoughtform’ has been summoned.]
A massive axe appeared.
The black handle with red veins made it clear that this weapon was no ordinary tool.
“Really tenacious. To think it’s still moving after all that.”
Alice frowned.
Even after a direct hit from her fully unleashed ‘Blood Lord’, it kept moving.
If this was the level of a mere thoughtform, she couldn’t imagine how strong Shub-Niggurath would be.
‘How on earth are you planning to deal with that monster, Jinhyuk…’
She couldn’t fathom what Jinhyuk was thinking.
But why?
Not a single anxious thought crossed her mind.
She didn’t know why.
Since the day they made the contract in the corridor until today…
She had never doubted him.
There was no way her contractor would betray her expectations.
“I can’t be dilly-dallying here.”
Pazzz!
A new spear appeared in Alice’s hand.
[‘Crimson Blood Thorn’ has been summoned!]
The holy relic, decorated luxuriously and named after the blood-eating Blood Thorn Flower, manifested.
With a stern expression, Alice raised the spear over her shoulder.
‘I didn’t want to use this in the middle of the city…’
Although the people in the underground parking lot had already evacuated, there might be others hiding who could get caught in it.
Even if not, the impact might be so great that part of the city could disappear.
But there was no choice.
At this rate, she had no chance of defeating this monster.
‘I have to suppress its power to the utmost and focus it on a single point.’
Crrkk…
Veins bulged on Alice’s white forehead.
Her crimson pupils contracted momentarily.
“Graaah!”
The black goat raised the axe high.
In response,
Paaang!
With a thunderous noise, a streak of crimson light tore through the air.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The resulting wind gust shattered all the windows in the nearby buildings.
Streetlights and trees bent like reeds.
The incredible force of the thrown spear pierced the black goat’s heart and disappeared into the sky.
A brief silence ensued.
In the intersecting gazes,
the seemingly endless silence finally broke.
“Gurrr…?”
The black goat’s body swayed greatly.
Although it tried to heal the wound, the injury only worsened rapidly.
[The special ability of Crimson Blood Thorn activates.]
[Unless possessing holy or absolute healing abilities, the wound cannot be healed.]
Blood poured out, blackening the road.
“Truly a repulsive creature. From existence to the end, there’s nothing appealing about you.”
Alice looked up coldly at the black goat.
That was the end.
The massive form of the black goat collapsed backward.
“Grrr…”
As the road shattered, the breath of the gigantic beast ceased.
It was over.
Or so she thought.
“Indeed, fitting of the head of Ataraxia… no, the former head. I thought you were completely rusted after being sealed, but it seems you’re not entirely useless.”
A new voice intruded from between the buildings.
A woman with long black hair reaching her waist emerged from the shadows.
With sharp fangs and signature red eyes.
No doubt.
A vampire, the True Ancestor praised as the strongest bloodline.
“…You.”
Alice’s pupils trembled.
Explosive emotions of intense anger and the joy of potential revenge coexisted as they erupted.
