Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 385: The Sun’s Spring (5)

They truly looked bizarre.

Monsters surrounded them, with one arm shaped like a shield and the other like a spear. There were only three, but each exuded an unsettling aura.

Moreover, new presences could be sensed in the distance.

The longer they lingered, the more enemies would appear.

“…What are these things?” Chun Yoosung took a step back, gripping *Ryuhwa* tightly.

It wasn’t just a matter of strength or weakness.

The eerie tension clung to his nerves, making his skin crawl with fear.

‘So this is the first trial.’

Tawny Owl wouldn’t help.

Bound by the system’s constraints, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t.

This meant that breaking through this situation was entirely up to the two of them.

Jinhyuk’s *Eyes of Gluttony* analyzed the enemy.

[Regulus – Variant Species]

Level: 85 / ? – Original / Current Unavailable.
Danger Level: Unmeasurable
Traits: Possesses high physical and magical defenses by default. Specific details are obscured by undefined energy.

He had anticipated this.

These were indeed on a different level than the creatures that had previously occupied the labyrinth.

“Alright. Let’s see just how strong these things are.”

It was time to understand why Tawny Owl and the Operators were so worried.

Jinhyuk extended Barnard forward.

Crackle!

A dark crimson aura surged from the blade.

“Take them one by one. These aren’t pushovers.”

“If we do that, it’ll never end. Didn’t you say we only have four days to secure the Sun’s Spring?”

“That’s true, but…”

“I’ll hold them off. You secure a path forward. I can handle these things alone.”

“Hey! Wait…”

“Here I go!”

Before Jinhyuk could stop him, Chun Yoosung had already leapt forward.

A single slash.

A brilliant blue streak swept through the air like a violent wave.

But—

Boom!

The Regulus deflected the attack head-on.

Even with seven feints mixed in, it had distinguished the real one without fail.

“Impressive.”

Chun Yoosung unleashed the *Soul-Chasing Sword* technique.

A seamless blend of elegance and raw power flowed through each strike.

This time, it wasn’t a feint; everything he aimed for was real.

Dozens, even hundreds of sword trajectories whirled around in a chaotic pattern.

Clang! Clang!

“Screeee!”

Although the monster shielded its body, *Ryuhwa* found its way through the gaps, striking relentlessly.

Its entire body was soon covered in blood.

Seizing the moment, Chun Yoosung positioned himself for a final blow from the blind spot.

It was a silent ambush, with not even a hint of movement.

Whish!

Just as his sword was about to pierce the monster’s neck—

The Regulus’ spear vanished like lightning.

Counterattack.

A perfectly executed thrust.

The spear lunged with precision into the narrow space before Chun Yoosung’s defensive aura could fully manifest.

Thud!

A sickening sound of flesh tearing followed as Chun Yoosung rolled on the ground, clutching his shoulder.

“Damn it! Why is this labyrinth filled with nothing but these wretched things? Seriously, every time I go anywhere with you…”

“I warned you not to let your guard down.”

Once, he had been calm and composed.

What had happened to make him this way?

‘If he hadn’t been hanging around with me, he’d probably be hailed as the strongest wherever he went.’

Thinking about it, Jinhyuk felt a twinge of sympathy.

“You okay?”

“This wound… it’s nothing. If only I hadn’t let my guard down…”

‘Yeah, right.’

The hole in his shoulder was too severe for continued fighting.

Still, thanks to Chun Yoosung, Jinhyuk had seen what to watch out for.

“Drink a recovery potion and rest.”

Now it was Jinhyuk’s turn.

Quickly and lightly.

Tap.

He moved with a sudden, unexpected rhythm and swung Barnard.

As expected, the Regulus blocked the minor blows with its shield, waiting for an opening to counterattack.

“Grrrr!”

Is this what they meant by knowing it would happen and still falling for it?

The spear was already inches from Jinhyuk’s heart.

Any other top ranker would’ve been helpless against this attack.

However—

Jinhyuk was no ordinary ranker.

Clang!

Neutralization.

The spearhead clashed against Barnard’s tip, both converging on a single point.

Crack!

A fracture, like the shell of a turtle, spread along the spear’s edge, signaling which side’s power was superior.

“Groar?”

“A counterattack is nothing if you can read the timing.”

No matter how swift or fierce it was, once its trajectory and speed were deciphered, there was no reason to fear it.

Thwack!

Barnard pierced the Regulus’ neck.

Blood sprayed like a fountain.

But—

“Graaaa!”

Even with a fatal wound, the Regulus didn’t fall.

Its eyes glowed red, and it became even more ferocious.

All three monsters entered a berserker state, charging at Jinhyuk simultaneously.

‘Wounding one triggers the others to strengthen, huh?’

Crash! Boom!

The spear struck and shattered the wall behind Jinhyuk.

Every blow was enough to make someone exclaim at the sheer force.

Slice!

Jinhyuk’s Barnard cut through the Regulus again and again, but it was futile.

Whether he stabbed their hearts or sliced their throats, they just kept attacking like relentless zombies.

Jinhyuk’s pulse quickened.

How long had it been since he felt this way?

The exhilaration of facing a troublesome foe and needing to find a strategy?

‘There has to be a way out of this…’

Jinhyuk observed the enemy’s movements carefully.

Then, he sensed something.

A faint, almost invisible red thread connected them.

It was so thin that even with immense focus, it was barely noticeable.

The thread linked all three creatures.

That’s it.

These three were bound by shared energy, a symbiotic relationship.

They couldn’t be taken down one by one; they had to be cut down simultaneously to end this endless battle.

Of course, knowing the strategy didn’t mean executing it would be easy.

They maintained perfect formation, making it difficult to strike them all at once.

But—

There wasn’t even a trace of anxiety on Jinhyuk’s face.

…He had faced tougher.

Stronger, more absurd foes.

This was nothing compared to that…

*Heavenly Demon Divine Art*.

An ominous power surged forth.

One of the arts feared even by the beings of the upper floors, known as the calamity of ten thousand demons, unfurled before him.

Rumble!

Even without the *Crown of Domination*, the 400+ mana Jinhyuk possessed brought out the true potential of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

“Let’s see if you can stay standing this time.”

*Commanding End, Nameless Decimation*.

Three intersecting lines swept diagonally across the space.

A cut that needed no embellishment.

A sword designed solely to sever.

Shing!

The three Regulus split in half, armor and all.

Thud!

Their upper and lower bodies collapsed in opposite directions.

“Hah.”

Jinhyuk exhaled lightly.

And—

Chun Yoosung, who had watched the entire battle from start to finish, bit his lip with a mix of emotions.

The hand holding *Ryuhwa* trembled faintly.

A level beyond the sky.

Taking down three creatures stronger than most named monsters…

And doing it so swiftly.

Thinking about how he struggled against just one of them made a wave of frustration and shame surge within him.

‘Just how far are you planning to grow?’

Receiving one of the symbolic weapons of Murim from Soul-Chasing Shadow had given him boundless confidence.

With grueling training, flawless growth based on past experience, an excellent teacher, and the most powerful weapon, he thought he finally stood a chance…

But it always ended like this.

Chasing an unreachable mirage, arriving only to face an insatiable thirst, a feeling of perpetual inadequacy.

He couldn’t imagine when this damned loop would ever break.

At that moment—

Jinhyuk approached, flicking the blood off his sword.

“Why are you just sitting there sulking? Drink the potion already.”

“…It’s nothing.”

Chun Yoosung turned his head sharply.

The motion was sharp enough to send a chill through the air.

If his cheeks puffed out a bit more, he would look just like a sulking elementary schooler.

“Thanks to you charging in and dealing those hits, it made things easier.”

“My attacks… actually worked?”

“You didn’t notice? The weak points were exposed because of the blows from your *Soul-Chasing Sword*.”

“So… that’s what it was. I thought it went down too easily. Hah. Maybe I was the real MVP after all.”

A subtle twitch lifted the corner of Chun Yoosung’s lips.

With that, Jinhyuk had succeeded in lifting the mood of the sulking kid.

＊＊＊

Night in the labyrinth.

Their first day’s raid concluded there.

With Chun Yoosung’s injuries being more severe than expected and the new complications they’d faced, they decided to proceed with more caution.

Jinhyuk and Tawny Owl sat by the campfire.

As Jinhyuk cooked the Iron Shell Shrimps, he started the conversation.

“Since it’s just the two of us, mind if I ask some questions?”

“If it’s something I can answer, go ahead.”

“I’m still unclear about the concept of Operators. Do even the senior administrators follow your commands? And do you manage the external beings as well?”

Tawny Owl stroked his chin thoughtfully at Jinhyuk’s question.

“It might be best to clarify. Our roles do have some ambiguous areas. This is a good opportunity to set things straight.”

Buzz!

A holographic image of the Tower appeared before Tawny Owl. Among the figures were lower-tier administrator Kaman, mid-tier administrator Rick, and senior administrators like Hastin and Vendevia.

“Administrators manage the Tower’s overall functions. Their main task is overseeing and ensuring that each floor runs smoothly and that there are no issues.”

The administrators monitored the movements of forces, intervened when necessary, and managed floor transitions—core responsibilities of their position.

These roles were divided into lower, middle, and upper tiers, based on authority.

The hologram shifted, revealing a sphere with a white surface and a crimson mouth—representing figures like Seyoung Eonhwan and Tawny Owl, the Operators.

“We Operators are the creators of the Tower. While administrators may be chosen by us or selected through the system, the final authority regarding the Tower lies with us.”

The Tower of Trials, this colossal world spanning 50 floors, was their creation. The virtual reality game Jinhyuk once played was also a work of the Operators.

“And lastly, the external beings—what you call ancient ones or primordial beings. They are categorized as ‘variables’ that defy standard regulation. You know firsthand how powerful they are.”

Although technically subservient to the Tower, their power was so immense that even senior administrators had to treat them cautiously. The only control was through the system itself.

These beings resided on the highest floors and served as the final trial for those attempting to reach the Tower’s peak.

“And…”

Tawny Owl spoke slowly.

“There is one entity that exists outside of all these structures.”

The most critical piece of information was about to be revealed.