Zhao Yun.
He was an ethnic Korean from China.
After Awakening as an Ascender, he met his compatriot Wang Ochun and eventually rose to become an executive of <Burning Tower>.
* “Your Trait is called ‘Magic Power Microscope’? It may appear insignificant at first glance, but it is perfectly suited to our business!”
It was a Trait capable of measuring the concentration of Magic Power within a target.
There could hardly have been anyone more suitable for <Burning Tower>’s ‘Proof of Aptitude Training Business.’
* “That person possesses a great deal of Magic Power. He has a high chance of receiving a valuable grade.”
Those who contained large quantities of Magic Power were offered training even without payment.
Why?
Because people with high Magic Power tended to receive higher grades during the <Proof of Aptitude>.
* “Once everyone sees that someone who received our training obtained a high-grade skill, they will arrive in droves with gold coins in hand.”
It was a structure no different from a pyramid scheme.
Through that method, <Burning Tower>’s business achieved tremendous success.
During the process, Zhao Yun had observed countless Ascenders.
Among them were several who had since climbed to the third through sixth floors and made names for themselves as super rookies.
Every one of them had possessed considerably more Magic Power than ordinary Ascenders during their early stages.
‘B-But what in the world is that man?!’
As far as Zhao Yun could see, Hajun had been an ordinary Ascender.
No.
He had not even been ordinary.
He had been at the absolute bottom.
The amount of Magic Power he possessed barely reached the minimum expected of a Level 10 Ascender.
Nine times out of ten, he should have received a Common-grade skill.
Even with extraordinary luck, Rare grade should have been his limit.
‘Yet he obtained Mythic grade! How does that make any sense?’
Hajun had not exuded any exceptional presence or aura.
Nor had he appeared to rely upon extraordinary equipment.
Therefore, Zhao Yun had believed that obtaining a <Mythic>-grade skill was nothing more than incredible luck.
He had truly believed that.
However—
The moment he witnessed the <Fireball>, which he assumed was Mythic grade, chills swept across his entire body.
‘H-How can he control the mana particles as though they are alive?’
He had seen it.
When the Magic Power particles within Hajun’s <Fireball> engulfed his subordinates, they had passed diagonally across their bodies rather than striking them directly.
It had been intentional mana control meant to prevent the attack from inflicting fatal injuries.
Hajun might have possessed little Magic Power, but his ability to control it appeared to have reached the realm of a god.
‘Even Arjun Patel didn’t display that degree of Magic Power Control when I saw him!’
Arjun Patel.
One of the Great Seven Ascenders.
As an Ascender bearing the epithet Archmage, he had achieved unrivaled accomplishments in the field of magic.
Yet even he had not displayed the same degree of precise Magic Power Control that Hajun had shown moments earlier.
‘A m-monster…….’
Zhao Yun began seeing Hajun in an entirely different light.
The only thing Hajun currently lacked was Magic Power.
No.
Perhaps he only appeared to possess so little because he was deliberately suppressing it.
That possibility seemed extremely likely.
If Hajun continued growing until he reached a level comparable to the Great Seven Ascenders, even Arjun Patel might not be his opponent.
Perhaps Zhao Yun was witnessing the birth of a legendary figure who would write an entirely new myth.
After Hajun obtained a Mythic-grade skill during the <Proof of Aptitude> and disappeared, a considerable disturbance erupted throughout the Ascender community.
* Breaking News: Someone obtained a Mythic-grade skill on the second floor!
└ I saw him too. That Hahoe Mask was incredible.
└ What do you mean by Hahoe Mask?
└ The person who received the Mythic-grade skill was wearing one.
└ That’s incredible. If he wore a Hahoe Mask, doesn’t that mean he’s a Korean Ascender?
└ We cannot be certain. An Ascender from another country might have obtained a Hahoe Mask.
* Breaking News: China has announced that the person who obtained the Mythic-grade skill is one of their Ascenders too.
└ They are remarkably persistent. At this point, they might as well claim that Korean territory originally belonged to them.
└ Fact: They have actually made claims like that before.
└ Seriously?
└ Yes.
└ In that case, it makes sense that they see everyone as one of their citizens.
└ But considering how insistently they are claiming him, he might genuinely be Chinese.
└ Exactly. No matter how I consider it, I doubt they would claim someone as their Ascender without any reason.
* Wait. The timing overlaps with Unknown passing the first-floor Ascension Trial. Could the Hahoe Mask actually be Unknown?
└ That possibility cannot be dismissed.
└ If the Hahoe Mask was Lord Unknown, it would make sense for him to receive Mythic grade. He cleared the Ascension Trial in five seconds. How could the tower not grant him Mythic grade?
└ We shouldn’t jump to conclusions. We still don’t know.
└ That is true.
└ In any case, recent events have been extraordinary. First Unknown, and now the Hahoe Mask. Is something about to happen? Why are so many earth-shaking newcomers suddenly appearing?
* Is <Burning Tower> still selling fraudulent training sessions at the second-floor <Proof of Aptitude> site?
└ Yes. It seems they are still exploiting newcomers.
└ Those bastards are despicable.
└ When I first arrived and knew nothing, I gave them my precious gold coins too.
└ Shouldn’t one of the Five Great Clans do something about them?
└ They are too quick to notice danger. The Five Great Clans have tried moving against them several times, but they always disappear as though they sensed it beforehand. They are like cockroaches.
└ Couldn’t the clans solve the problem somehow if they made a serious effort?
└ The Five Great Clans do not have an obligation to eliminate every group of worthless criminals.
└ That is also true.
└ Where is the Grim Reaper when we need him? Why doesn’t he wipe out parasites like them?
└ To eliminate them, someone would have to go alone and destroy the entire organization before they could escape. But that person would need to be comparable to the Great Seven Ascenders. How could that possibly happen?
└ Perhaps the Hahoe Mask will deal with them.
└ Impossible. He should only be Level 11. Perhaps after reaching Level 20 and obtaining excellent equipment, he might become comparable to the Great Seven Ascenders. Then he might have a chance.
‘Phew.’
Watching Zhao Yun walk ahead of me brought back memories from my childhood.
* “Sob… Hajun… What are we going to do now?”
My mother held me tightly as she wept.
Countless seizure notices had been attached to the furniture and appliances throughout our home.
* “We may end up living on the streets… I’m sorry, Hajun. Your mother is so sorry.”
It was the memory of my mother being deceived.
My father had left after declaring that he would become an Ascender, only to disappear without a trace.
My mother had struggled desperately to fill the absence he left behind.
However, all her efforts were ultimately repaid in the form of fraud, and our family was completely ruined.
‘My blood still boils whenever I remember that time.’
The organization had since disappeared.
It had been an enormous pyramid scheme that created countless victims.
Ever since then, the mere sight of a swindler made Hajun grind his teeth instinctively.
* “Good grief. So that is what happened. Then… what became of your mother?”
Aleon’s voice sounded wet with emotion.
When I glanced at him, his eyes were brimming as though he might begin crying at any moment.
What was this, Aleon?
That expression did not suit him at all.
Was he secretly more sentimental than he appeared?
His unexpected reaction made me laugh without realizing it.
He truly was surprisingly adorable.
‘My mother…….’
Just as Hajun was about to answer Aleon—
“We have arrived.”
Zhao Yun announced that we had reached our destination.
‘This is a complete bandit stronghold.’
A long wooden palisade made from bound logs stretched before us.
Their hideout resembled the residence of a group of mountain bandits.
“Is that you, Mr. Zhao Yun?”
“Y-Yes, it’s me. Open the gate!”
“Who is the person behind you?”
The men who appeared to be guards asked about my identity.
Hmm.
Would entering quietly prove difficult?
If possible, I had intended to meet their leader and settle the matter without causing a commotion.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
Then—
“J-Just open the gate, you bastards!”
Zhao Yun suddenly panicked and shouted at them.
What was that?
Had he reacted after seeing my expression?
* “Kekeke. It appears so. He has been carefully watching your mood for quite some time.”
Oh?
He had been watching me?
Had the <Mythic>-grade Fireball frightened him that badly?
In any case, the situation worked in my favor.
RATTLE!
The entrance opened, revealing everything inside the palisade.
Wooden cabins and temporary tents made from cloth were packed closely together.
“P-Please come this way. I’ll guide you to the Chairman.”
Chairman.
Hearing a group of swindlers use a title like Chairman left me dumbfounded once again.
In any case—
I followed Zhao Yun toward the cabin at the center of the stronghold.
Just as I was about to enter—
BANG!
“Bwahahahaha! What an extraordinary guest. What brings the person who obtained a Mythic-grade skill to our humble headquarters?”
The cabin door opened, and a man more than 190 centimeters tall emerged.
A long beard covered half his face.
With that appearance, anyone could have mistaken him for the leader of a bandit gang.
“C-Chairman!”
“Zhao Yun! How dare you betray our organization?”
“T-That isn’t what happened! T-This man wished to meet—”
“Silence!”
The Chairman did not allow Zhao Yun to finish.
FLASH! RUMBLE!!
“GUAAAAARGH!”
The two-star Lightning spell <Lightning Ball> manifested by the Chairman burned Zhao Yun completely black.
“Men, what are you waiting for? Remove the corpse.”
The subordinates gathered nearby quickly lifted the fallen Zhao Yun and carried him away.
‘This man shows no mercy whatsoever.’
Zhao Yun had been a subordinate who trusted and followed him.
Yet he had disposed of the man without even giving him an opportunity to explain.
My eyes narrowed further.
The man before me could not be allowed to continue as he was.
“Now, shall we begin our conversation again? What business brings our extraordinary Ascender to me?”
The Chairman, Wang Ochun, sat upon a chair brought by one of his subordinates and mocked me openly.
“I came to tell you to stop exploiting innocent Ascenders and shut down your business.”
“What? Bwahahahaha! You truly are an amusing bastard. Did you come here believing that we would answer, ‘Yes, of course,’ and close everything merely because you told us to?”
Yes.
Naturally, I had expected this reaction.
From the beginning, I had never believed that reasoning with them would accomplish anything.
“I am truly curious what kind of Mythic-grade skill you obtained. You must be behaving this way because you trust that skill, correct? Very well. I shall make you an offer. Join me. I will grant you the third-highest position in our organization. What do you think?”
I grinned and nodded.
“Oh! It appears the offer has caught your interest. Bwahaha. Think carefully—”
The moment delight appeared upon his face—
I launched Thunderbolt without warning.
KRA-KOOOOM!
FLASH!
SHATTER——!
Astonishingly, the Thunderbolt I had expected him to be unable to block struck a shield that suddenly manifested before him.
What a shame.
That had been close.
“Y-You bastard!”
Wang Ochun stared at me with his eyes wide open.
He appeared deeply shocked.
Judging by what had happened, he must possess an Artifact that automatically generated a shield.
‘That looks tempting.’
An Automatic Defense Artifact like that was essential equipment for Magic Type Ascenders.
“Take him down!”
At Wang Ochun’s command, his Ascenders rushed toward me in a mass.
There appeared to be more than thirty Ascenders within the stronghold.
Every one of them seemed to be at least in the mid-teens in level.
Under ordinary circumstances, someone like me, who had only recently reached Level 11, should never have been capable of defeating them.
“Break his limbs, but keep him alive! I intend to feed him to wild dogs while he is still breathing!”
Good grief.
He casually uttered such vicious words.
He spoke as though my capture was already certain.
However, there was one crucial fact he had overlooked.
Did he truly believe I had entered this place alone without making any preparations?
“Entangle!”
“Hold!”
Binding spells flew toward me.
[The Tome of the Sage’s <Status Effect Resistance> has activated.]
Some were blocked by the <Tome of the Sage>’s Status Effect Resistance.
“Dispel!”
I removed the rest with Dispel.
“What?”
“Impossible!”
They flinched in surprise.
That brief opening provided enough time for me to manifest Thunderbolt and present it to them.
KRA-KOOOOM!
“GUAAAAARGH!”
“AAAAARGH!”
“URGH!”
The Chain Effect activated, instantly incapacitating more than half their number.
“T-This is insane.”
“W-What is he?”
They said that momentum determined the outcome of a battle.
With that single move, the momentum shifted entirely toward me.
The remaining Ascenders hesitated in confusion.
That momentary opening was more than enough time for me to manifest Thunderbolt again.
KRA-KOOOOM!
“GUAAAAARGH!”
“AAAAARGH!”
With only two attacks, I defeated more than thirty Ascenders.
“T-That’s impossible……”
Wang Ochun had already leaped to his feet.
With a horrified expression, he began retreating.
“AAAAARGH!”
The sight of him fleeing while screaming resembled a frightened dog with its tail on fire.
The confidence he had displayed earlier was nowhere to be found.
“Shadow Binding.”
I activated <Shadow Binding> upon him.
RATTLE!
Black hands surged from his shadow and seized him.
“U-UAAAAARGH!”
His screams were loud enough to shake the entire stronghold.
I approached him with an indifferent expression.
At that moment—
* “Be careful!”
Aleon warned me.
However, I had already stepped backward instinctively.
An ominous surge of Magic Power erupted from the ring upon Wang Ochun’s hand.
WHOOOOOM!!
An enormous amount of power swept across the area.
It was not ordinary Magic Power.
‘This is…….’
* “Demonic Energy! He has summoned a demon!”
The unpleasant, viscous black power was Demonic Energy, the power of the Demon Race.
“Kekeke. Why have you summoned me, Summoner?”
“H-Huff… Hrk. K-Kill… that man for me.”
The demon Wang Ochun summoned did not appear particularly threatening.
It possessed a round face.
Small fangs protruded from its mouth.
It stood less than seventy centimeters tall.
However, the small horns upon its head and the pair of scaled wings upon its back clearly revealed that it belonged to the Demon Race.
[Lv 20]
[Lesser Imp]
‘An Imp?’
I had heard of them.
They were one of the representative lesser species of the Demon Realm.
Although they were considered low-ranking demons, I knew that they possessed far greater combat ability than most other races of the same level.
“Kekeke.”
Its eyes swept over me from head to toe.
Then the corners of its mouth rose unpleasantly.
Apparently, it had decided that I was an easy opponent.
“Very well! I shall grant your request. However, you must prepare an appropriate price in return.”
“O-Of course.”
While the two of them conversed, I secretly finished preparing the <Mythic>-grade Fireball.
I also activated <Sage’s Aura>.
It was unfortunate that <Mental Power Amplification> was still on cooldown.
Even so, this should be enough to inflict considerable damage, even upon a demon.
“You appear to possess some talent, human. However, meeting this noble one means that your luck has ended. You should blame your own misfort—”
The Imp continued speaking with an arrogant expression.
Before it could finish—
I launched the <Mythic>-grade Fireball directly at it.
BOOM!
The Fireball flew forward, scattering emerald embers.
The Imp’s eyes widened to the size of lanterns the moment it saw the approaching spell.
“Y-You damned……!”
Its voice sounded desperate.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
Emerald flames swept across the entire area.