Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 346: The Giant Factions of the Upper Floors (4)
The **Philosopher’s Stone**.
A relic that is almost akin to a universal key, capable of limitless possibilities when properly utilized.
For alchemists, it is the crystallization of their dreams.
And Jinhyuk had crafted a replica of this legendary stone specifically for this auction.
‘It was a hell of a job, but it paid off.’
The process of creating the Philosopher’s Stone is high-level knowledge, known only to a select few alchemists.
The amount of materials required was absurd, and finding them had been no small feat.
‘If it weren’t for everyone’s help, it would’ve been impossible.’
Jinhyuk briefly recalled the hectic days leading up to this moment.
He had pestered the blacksmith **Orun** to help, raided **Alice’s** treasure vault, and had the elementals scour the Tower for rare ingredients. It had been a wild ride.
‘The effects are… unquestionable.’
The red liquid coating his wrist shimmered faintly.
As the sweet scent filled the air, the **homunculus**’s pupils began to tremble violently.
She had sensed the presence of something tied to her very existence.
A bond.
Indeed.
To make the first homunculus submit, forming a connection was essential.
Other deities had tried to overpower her by brute force, but Jinhyuk had correctly identified what the auctioneer truly wanted.
Now, the only thing left was…
To blend the bond and his strength just right.
“Hoo…”
Jinhyuk steadied his breathing.
His mana circulated smoothly within his body, and the blade of his **Fang** glowed a soft blue.
[Unique Ability ‘Heavenly Demon God Art’ has been activated!]
In that moment…
Rumble…!
A tremendous aura surged around him.
The Heavenly Demon in his prime had been a force even the deities feared.
Naturally, the Heavenly Demon God Art was enough to inspire awe on its own.
“He has made a name for himself in the Martial World, but I didn’t expect him to have mastered the Heavenly Demon God Art.”
“But that’s all it is. Even the most powerful Spear Arts couldn’t break through, so what difference will this make?”
“Exactly. Even if he learned from the Heavenly Demon, he hasn’t had enough time to reach a high level.”
The deities murmured among themselves, most voicing their skepticism.
It made sense.
Jinhyuk was undoubtedly an exceptional player, but that was only within a certain level of understanding.
Compared to their carefully chosen apostles, he didn’t stand out.
However, a few deities saw things differently.
“Heh.”
**Berial**’s lips curled into a smile.
“……”
“……”
**Thor** and **Loki**, representing the Norse gods, were also watching Jinhyuk with keen eyes.
“Hmph. There’s no way that terrifying guy won’t be able to handle a mere puppet.”
**Anubis** snorted.
These were all deities who had experienced Jinhyuk’s capabilities firsthand or had a vested interest in him.
They were expecting something extraordinary to unfold.
***
The tension in the air thickened.
Jinhyuk was the first to move.
He activated his **Heavenly Demon Dominating Steps**.
Boom!
A deep footprint was left in the ground as Jinhyuk’s body disappeared like the wind.
“……!”
The homunculus immediately swung her spears.
As she had done before, her twin short spears whirled like a windmill.
Clang! Clang!
The **Fang** that had approached from the side was deflected.
As expected, she wasn’t easy to deal with.
‘A simple feint two or three times isn’t going to cut it.’
Jinhyuk poured more power into his **Heavenly Demon God Art**.
Tap!
The sound of his feet brushing the ground.
In an instant, Jinhyuk appeared on the opposite side.
**Black Heavenly Demon King Art**.
**First Technique**.
**Black Revolving Fist**!
Boom!
An attack aimed squarely at her back.
But the homunculus deflected it as well.
Just as she had redirected Medesus’s spear earlier, she dispersed the force of the attack rather than absorbing it head-on.
“As I thought.”
“He’s just wasting time. The auctioneer will call it off soon.”
“It’s impressive, but ultimately, this doll can avoid powerful attacks.”
The previously skeptical deities became even more convinced.
The match was decided.
However…
While others were concluding the outcome, Jinhyuk had noticed something in the exchange.
‘Good.’
Even though it was a replica, the scent of the Philosopher’s Stone was clearly affecting the homunculus.
Her reactions were slightly slower.
The sensation in Jinhyuk’s fingertips told him so.
If he could move just a bit faster…
If his strikes could be just a bit sharper…
[Unique Ability ‘Swift Sword’ has been activated!]
[Unique Ability ‘Shadow Assassination’ has been activated!]
Boom!
Clang! Clang!
Jinhyuk’s **Fang** whirled through the air with blinding speed.
He leaped from shadow to shadow, and his blade struck twice as fast thanks to the **Swift Sword**.
Now, even the trajectory of the blade became difficult to discern.
“…Ugh.”
A small groan escaped the homunculus as she struggled to keep up with the relentless assault.
This was the moment!
When their gazes locked, Jinhyuk purposely slowed his tempo.
**Glacier Sculpting**.
**Ice Mirror Kaleidoscope**.
Crack!
Thin sheets of frost began to rise from the ground.
The chilling cold dulled her senses, and as her body temperature dropped, the homunculus began to see illusions.
Her small mouth fell slightly open.
“Ah…!”
The short groan turned into a deep gasp as she stared in awe at the beautiful, unfamiliar sight before her.
[Due to the ‘Replica Philosopher’s Stone,’ your bond with the target has deepened.]
[‘Empathy’ ability has been activated!]
[Unique Ability ‘Mantra Taming’ has been activated!]
Status windows flashed in succession.
The abilities Jinhyuk had painstakingly accumulated were now working in harmony.
“Aah…”
The homunculus’s confusion deepened.
With her stamina nearly depleted from the continuous fight and her mind clouded by the bonding abilities, she was in a dazed state.
To top it all off, she was trapped within the **Ice Mirror Kaleidoscope**.
It was inevitable that she would falter.
Jinhyuk seized that moment.
Tap.
The tip of his **Fang** pressed lightly against the homunculus’s throat.
A single drop of the red liquid from the Philosopher’s Stone slid down her neck.
Their eyes met directly.
Her blue pupils, which seemed capable of pulling him in, stared at him.
“I’m not one for grand speeches or sweet promises.”
He wasn’t going to say things like, ‘I’ll treat you like royalty,’ or ‘I’ll give you more than just the status of a doll.’
“Nor do I plan to force you into submission through threats.”
Forced subjugation breeds no loyalty.
Even if the target is an emotionless being.
“But one thing I can promise you: if you choose to stay with me, I will never discard you like a pawn.”
Jinhyuk calmly withdrew his blade from her throat.
There was no resistance.
That silence signified her acceptance.
The power that had been radiating from the homunculus had completely dissipated.
“From today, I am your master.”
“Mas…ter.”
The homunculus carefully repeated the word.
Thud.
Her knees gently touched the ground.
Her blue hair cascaded softly over her shoulders as she knelt.
Thus, the homunculus’s master was decided.
***
The auction house erupted into chaos after Jinhyuk and the homunculus’s display.
Everyone had expected someone to win the homunculus, but no one thought it would be a player.
“Everyone, esteemed deities. The auction is now over. The host has requested that no further disruptions occur, so I kindly suggest we all disperse.”
If the auctioneer hadn’t stepped in at the right moment, the deities might have torn Jinhyuk apart then and there.
That’s how unprecedented this incident was.
At the auctioneer’s urging, the deities reluctantly backed off.
As the room quieted down, only the apostles remained where their respective deities had been.
**Medesus**, representing Olympus, approached Jinhyuk.
“…This is the first time we’ve spoken. I am Medesus, the apostle blessed by Hermes.”
A ranker possessing a unique spear technique.
Seeing him up close was a strange feeling.
Typically, Jinhyuk wouldn’t have encountered someone like him until reaching the upper 20th floors.
“I must admit, I was deeply impressed by your display. I hadn’t expected anyone on the lower floors to possess such skill.”
From an apostle’s perspective, players were still seen as rookies who had only tasted a small portion of the Tower.
They would need at least ten more years of experience before they could be taken seriously.
“There are quite a few talented people down there. Not just me.”
“Indeed. I may have to start paying more attention to the lower floors. Speaking of which… Could I ask which floor you’re currently on?”
“It’s a bit out of order, but I’ll be heading to the 19th floor soon.”
“The 19th floor, huh…”
Medesus nodded slightly.
“It’ll be a while before we meet again. Climb quickly. I look forward to the day we fight side by side in the upper floors.”
“Yeah. Whether we’re allies or enemies, I’m looking forward to it.”
Forming a connection with Medesus would undoubtedly prove useful in the future.
After a brief exchange of farewells, the auction came to a close.
***
It was a few hours after Jinhyuk had returned to the real world.
Getting rid of that persistent leech **Berial** had been harder than expected.
“Make yourself comfortable. This is a place I use outside the Tower. Don’t worry about the cost—I took care of it using Alice’s funds.”
“I understand… Master.”
The homunculus glanced around the hotel room before sitting cautiously on the sofa.
‘Let’s check her stats.’
Jinhyuk activated **Eyes of Gluttony** to examine the homunculus’s status window.
Ding!
——————————————————
**Name**: Homunculus
**Gender**: Female
**Age**: 1 year
**Level**: 195
**Strength**: 53
**Agility**: 85
**Stamina**: 76
**Mana**: 62
**Philosopher’s Blessing**: 368
**Stat Points Available**: 0
**Class**: Spearman
**Unique Ability**: Puppet Mastery
**Skills**: ‘Twin Spears’ Lv29, ‘A Thousand and One Nights’ Lv28, ‘Movement Detection’ Lv27, ‘Mana Breathing’ Lv21, ‘Painful Wounds’ Lv21……
——————————————————
**Special Note**: Once a master-servant relationship is established, the homunculus will never betray her master under any circumstances. If specific conditions are met, she can unlock a **Unique Spear Technique**.
——————————————————
This… was absurd.
Her base stats were insane, and she had only just been created.
But that wasn’t even the most impressive part.
‘Her **Philosopher’s Blessing** stat is 368.’
This was one of the top-tier stats, like **Gap** or **Adaptive**, which could only be obtained by meeting very specific criteria.
And with her potential to unlock a unique spear technique, it was like striking gold.
Jinhyuk suppressed the urge to cheer.
At the same time, he felt an urge to gift something to his newfound gem of a companion.
“You don’t have a name, do you? A name… something to call you by.”
“A name…? In the place I came from, they called me Homunculus.”
“Hmm. I see. We can’t just keep calling you that, so I’ll give you a proper name. Believe it or not, I’ve got a great knack for naming things.”
“It would be an honor to receive any name you choose, Master.”
The homunculus’s voice was slightly higher-pitched, and she nodded quickly, as if excited.
Hmm. Let’s see.
What kind of name would stick with her for a long time?