Chapter 1087: Level 9 (5)
A Supreme Committee Member of the Elder Council, which leads Outer Tribulation City Kundara.
One of only five supreme Long-lived Beings, including Maleon and Nives.
Among them, has a Transcendent possessing true blood appeared here in person?
Ignoring the astonished Long-lived Beings around him, Lennok quickly observed the reindeer called Regnus.
‘For a Long-lived Being, it’s quite an ordinary size.’
Its visible size was approximately between 3 and 4 meters.
Compared to the true forms of other Long-lived Beings Lennok had seen, which easily surpassed ten meters, it was rather ordinary.
The Eight Great Dragon Kings Alohan, and Nives, a former member of the Elder Council, possessed monstrous sizes in themselves.
He knew that the size of a Long-lived Being wasn’t proportional to its total power, but even considering that, its size was relatively unremarkable.
However, the blue flames flickering above the reindeer’s hooves and antlers were anything but ordinary.
‘Flames imbued with cold. Is it ice flame, with contradictory properties?’
Lennok’s gaze momentarily turned cold.
‘Those flames themselves could function as a Spark.’
Lennok himself occasionally created and used cold flames through alchemy.
But the reindeer called Regnus was currently wielding no power, not even mana.
It was proof that this colossal reindeer was producing cold flames using only its own physical organs.
Was this an opportunity to acquire a new Spark, something Cheonbeon was constantly seeking?
“It seems you are mistaken about something.”
The moment Lennok flicked his finger, thinking this, Maleon spoke.
“Are you not referring to the aftermath of the trials being halted, rather than the presence of one blessed by an Ascendant?”
“The aftermath of the trials being halted?”
“The Archmage accompanying me challenged the Eighth Tribulation and halted the system itself.”
Maleon calmly replied.
Even though his hand had been crushed under the hoof, Maleon showed no sign of pain.
“Since the system designed by an Ascendant has been interfered with, it would not be strange for even the Ninth Tribulation to be affected.”
“……”
Regnus did not respond to that.
Instead, he merely gazed at Lennok with an unreadable expression.
Without moving his broken hand from under Regnus’s hoof, Maleon quietly said.
“I will deploy a Domain. Please step aside.”
“Are you planning to waste power unnecessarily before the great task?”
The Elder Council member, Regnus, replied with an unreadable expression.
“If your mental fortitude was so easily exhausted by such a minor anomaly, what was the reason for pushing through this plan, even expelling other council members from the Eighth Tribulation?”
“……”
The moment he heard those words, Maleon withdrew his hand from under Regnus’s hoof.
The reindeer pressed down hard with its front hoof, but Maleon lifted his hand as if not feeling any resistance.
Crack, crack…!!
Broken bones and muscles reconnected, and torn scales regenerated, restoring his hand to its original state.
It was a regeneration ability so immense it felt as if time was rewinding.
Lennok, watching the scene from beside him, shook his head in astonishment.
‘He’s not using any mana at all. Does he possess such regeneration purely through the natural recovery of a dragon-kind?’
Just now, Maleon had not used any spellcraft whatsoever to heal his body.
Only the overflowing vitality and regenerative power within his blessed physique had instantly healed his injuries.
Even without ostentatious display, it was immediately clear what level of monster Maleon had reached.
At that moment, as the other Long-lived Beings silently held their breath, awed by the overwhelming racial traits displayed by the two supreme Elder Council members.
“These are the individuals who trusted me and followed me into the depths of the Eighth Tribulation.”
Maleon said, facing the reindeer.
“If I lose them here, the plan will suffer a significant setback.”
“What truly negatively impacts the failure of the plan?”
Regnus asked coldly.
“Is it the well-being of those who trust and follow you, or is it your own capacity to challenge the ritual?”
“……”
“Foolish.”
Seeing Maleon not respond, the reindeer let out a cold sigh.
“I should not have brought you into the Elder Council. My mistake is truly regrettable.”
Regnus slowly tapped his hoof and turned, just as Maleon was about to say something.
[Barrier Spell Formation: Deploy]
Fwaaaash!!!!
A colorless ripple erupted from under the reindeer’s hooves, instantly engulfing the surroundings and pulling the party in.
“Hah, haah…!!”
“Gasp, gasp!!”
Only then did the other Long-lived Beings’ complexions lighten, and their breathing began to return to normal.
Maleon looked at the reindeer, feigning surprise.
“Regnus-nim…”
Regnus’s response was to deploy a barrier on Maleon’s behalf, protecting the Long-lived Beings from the pressure of the Eighth Tribulation.
But that alone was enough to give relief to the Long-lived Beings who had been struggling to breathe.
“I have kept an eye on your talent and disposition, allowing the situation to reach this point, so I suppose I must take responsibility for that.”
The reindeer, who had been looking at Maleon with disapproval, said gruffly.
“But do not think you can achieve your desired challenge in such a manner.”
“……”
“For a great task that demands nothing less than sacrificing everything, you still cling to personal feelings.”
With that, the reindeer clicked his tongue and abruptly turned around.
“Tsk… Follow me. I will protect them until you reach your destination.”
“……”
He had just appeared, crushed Maleon’s hand, and relentlessly chastised him, yet now he was helping Maleon?
[Adamant Thunder, do you see it?]
Olivera, who had been watching from behind, sent a telepathic transmission with an amused tone.
[What is he doing? He handles barriers in quite an interesting way.]
“Indeed. He’s manipulating the barrier’s internal environment to a level similar to a Domain.”
Lennok nodded.
“Modifying a barrier to project a Root Mindscape, using it as a substitute for a Domain. That person is no ordinary spellcaster either.”
A Self-Manifested Domain is merely a functional ability that alters reality, not inherently Barrier Spellcraft.
Just as Lennok’s Celestial Flower’s Myriad-League Fragrance functions as a barrier only by imbuing the Domain with barrier properties.
However, Regnus was not imbuing his Domain with barrier properties; instead, he was imbuing the barrier with Domain properties.
This method allows for the effects of a Domain without the mental and physical strain of deploying one, while still largely retaining its benefits.
It was a concept Lennok, a master of Barrier Spellcraft, had never even considered, yet its ingenuity and difficulty clearly indicated a transcendent level.
Regnus himself must be an incredibly accomplished Barrier Spellcaster.
Perhaps it was because he was the administrator of the Eighth Tribulation and the overseer of the Ninth Tribulation’s trial.
“My apologies for the late explanation to you all.”
Maleon, noticing Lennok and Olivera’s conversation, glanced over and said.
“Regnus Aerom. The leader of the Crown Reindeer, and the elder who recommended me to the Elder Council as a Supreme Committee Member.”
“Why has a Supreme Committee Member of the Elder Council only now appeared?”
“As you would know if you met Nives, the current Supreme Committee Members of the Elder Council are officially not residing in the Eighth Tribulation.”
Maleon gave a wry smile.
“To minimize external variables and interference, and for Kundara not to be held responsible for the repercussions beyond the veil, all forces of the Elder Council have vacated the Eighth Tribulation.”
“……”
“Committee Member Regnus, as the administrator of the Eighth Tribulation, could not leave his post and therefore remained here.”
So that was why the other Elder Council members, apart from Maleon and Nives, had not shown themselves.
It wasn’t hard to understand if a significant number of the supreme Long-lived Beings with true blood were observing Maleon’s challenge, much like how Lennok encountered other superhumans and factions only after the dust settled in Machina and Yorta.
However, there was one lingering point—
“Given what you’re saying, that reindeer doesn’t seem to want you to challenge it. Is there a reason?”
“Because the Elder Council intentionally left the Spacetime of the Ninth Tribulation empty. He wishes for me not to defy that policy.”
Maleon answered calmly.
“However, I believe that before the end comes, the direction of this city must be significantly altered. My conviction remains unchanged even as I face this challenge.”
“……”
“I don’t think fleeing is wrong. But how can one properly choose a direction to flee without observing the world’s end?”
Maleon’s eyes deepened.
“For Kundara to fulfill its destiny, we must venture beyond the veil and observe the conclusion left in the center.”
“……”
“Through this challenge, I intend to test if my conclusion is correct, wagering the fate of this city.”
Maleon Gnosis intends to become an Ascendant and take his place in the Ninth Tribulation, thereby activating Kundara to depart from the veil.
His resolve to take Outer Tribulation City, hidden behind the veil, beyond the Central Front to directly witness the end.
The fact that he has persevered with a plan that wagers Kundara’s fate, bringing it to this point, demonstrates what an extraordinary Transcendent Maleon is.
However, Lennok could not yet fathom how a Transcendent so entangled in causality would reach Level 9.
Ultimately, it was an unknown enlightenment that he would only understand by directly observing the process alongside him.
How much time had passed since they sped through the Hall of the Eighth Tribulation, shrouded in the barrier Regnus had deployed?
After passing through a long corridor, the party arrived at the outermost edge of the seemingly endless, vast Hall of the Eighth Tribulation.
“We’ve arrived.”
While Maleon gently helped the weakened Heoryeong to sit, Regnus, who stood alone at the front, spoke.
“This is the end of the Eighth Tribulation, and the entrance to the trial leading to the Ninth Tribulation.”
“……”
Whoosh!!!
At the end of the corridor, where the hall stretched endlessly, a sphere of dense darkness slowly rotated, replacing the wall.
A bizarre, alien aggregation of darkness, as if a colossal black hole blocked the hall in place of a wall.
Would entering that darkness lead to the trial of the Ninth Tribulation?
Lennok instinctively realized that this concept was extremely similar to the darkness of the Outer Sea.
“The Promotion Magic Circle is beyond that darkness. That darkness is both the entrance and the beginning of the trial leading to the Ninth Tribulation.”
Regnus’s message, as he glanced over and explained.
Only after meeting the gaze of the colossal reindeer did Lennok realize he was speaking directly to him.
“If we pass the trial, where do we go?”
“Up.”
Regnus replied.
A void obscured by darkness, where nothing could be seen.
Would the space of the Ninth Tribulation exist if one pierced through and ascended beyond that?
Only then did Lennok truly understand what the Ninth Tribulation’s trial, designed by Jindun, was.
A secret place, attainable only by transcending the limits of matter and challenging ascension through an environment similar to the Outer Sea.
“Van. I will prepare for the adjustment here with the others.”
Maleon said, facing the blowing wind.
“I will need some time to adjust my body to a state suitable for the challenge. In the meantime, you are free to act as you wish.”
“……”
“Whether you use other sanctuaries located in the hall, or acquire relics or artifacts stored in the Eighth Tribulation, it doesn’t matter. Once I’m ready, the ritual will—”
Maleon momentarily stopped speaking at the sight of Lennok moving without waiting for him to finish.
“……Where are you going?”
“There’s no need to watch the adjustment process from the side.”
Lennok replied, continuing his steps.
“Call me when it’s time. I’ll be checking the Promotion Magic Circle, which is supposedly inside there, first.”
“……That space is a demon realm that embodies the Outer Sea’s void. Even you wouldn’t last long alone, would you?”
“Don’t worry.”
Lennok said, stepping forward.
“I already have several means to endure outside the Outer Sea.”
Goooooong…!!!
At the end of the Sanctuary of the Eighth Tribulation, crossing the broken path, the moment he stepped into the darkness.
Snap!!
With a chilling crack, the shield enveloping Lennok’s body shattered.
It wasn’t intense pressure, nor incomprehensible particle annihilation.
It was an eerie cold emanating from the darkness.
A cold breath blowing from within the void was freezing the shield and forcefully breaking it.
But Lennok, knowing this, slowly stepped into the darkness once more.
At that moment, Lennok’s body defied gravity and floated up, momentarily losing balance and tumbling.
“……”
The instant he sank into the darkness, all of Lennok’s senses were cut off, making him unable to distinguish heaven from earth.
Where was he standing, and in what direction was he looking? Was he breathing properly, was his heart beating?
The sensations that should naturally be present in reality could not be perceived or responded to by his body.
The darkness of the [Outer] world, stealing away the functions, senses, blessings, and rights bestowed upon life.
Could Jindun have merely simulated and manifested this darkness of the Outer Sea, solely with his Barrier Spellcraft?
Even though he inherited Barrier Spellcraft from him in the Hanghasa Labyrinth, he still felt the immense gap between them so acutely.
Lennok thought this and slowly drew forth his mana.
Whoooosh…!!!
Even as his bodily senses twisted, went awry, and disappeared, Lennok’s mana always moved as he wished.
The talent he acquired by sacrificing functions and time that he should have been born with as a human never once betrayed Lennok.
Click, click…!!!
Mana flowing through his left arm spun violently, rapidly dismantling the seal placed on Lennok’s arm.
The moment he released the seal he had locked with the power of the Piercing Thunder Key, revealing its ability in the darkness.
Screeeech!!!!
A violet radiance emanating from his left arm began to erase the darkness.
Each time the darkness touched his violet-stained left hand, the blackness twisted, broke, and dissipated.
A sense of incongruity: rather than rendering the darkness itself null, it was destroying the very foundation upon which darkness could exist.
A price, or perhaps a non-price, obtained during experiments with the Celestial Lightning Body in the Hall of the Thunder God’s sanctuary.
Not Lennok’s transcendent talent, but a Forbidden Armament that projects a penalty opposing him.
Creak, creak, creak…!!!
The darkness concealing the Ninth Tribulation’s trial fractured, crumbled, and lost its function.
The moment the ‘binding’ on Lennok’s body, instead of restraining him, broke apart and unraveled the darkness before him.
Fwaaaah!!!
As the darkness receded, the form of a colossal labyrinth emerged beyond it.
“……A labyrinth?”
Only after inadvertently muttering the word did Lennok realize his own voice could be heard.
As the darkness vanished, the Ninth Tribulation’s trial revealed itself, and Lennok’s senses returned to normal.
Whoosh!!!
The cold wind whistling in his ears.
From thousands of meters above, dizzyingly high, he looked down upon a colossal, endless labyrinth.
As the darkness cleared, gravity seemed to return, and Lennok’s body began to fall rapidly towards the labyrinth.
Fwaaah!!
Lennok, facing the rushing wind, drew forth his mana and inadvertently frowned.
Because as soon as he tried to use mana, a strong resistance began to be felt around him.
‘My mana rotation rate is dropping to a very low level. Is this a characteristic of this labyrinth itself?’
Even considering the suppression of mana efficiency due to the Forbidden Armament still active on his left arm, this was excessive.
It must be that the environment of this labyrinth itself was suppressing the act of using mana to an extreme degree.
Of course, with Lennok’s accomplishments, he would never be unable to use mana due to external factors, but a slight drop in efficiency was unavoidable.
Clunk!!
Twisting space, he took out the Piercing Thunder Key, inserted it into his left arm, and locked down the Forbidden Armament’s ability.
[Oh, Master?]
At that moment, Davi, who had been hidden in Lennok’s arms, spoke with a bewildered expression.
[The labyrinth located down there. I think there’s data remaining in my database?]
“……Data remaining in your database?”
Davi’s database served to record and organize all experiences with Lennok, converting them into images or numerical values.
Since the black wizard’s rebellion after being born as a Cybernetic Spirit, Davi had been autonomously organizing and storing all data.
The fact that the labyrinth’s form remained in that database was proof that Lennok had encountered the labyrinth once before with Davi.
“……No way.”
The Promotion Magic Circle left by Jindun.
The mysterious labyrinth within the Ninth Tribulation’s trial.
And matching data in Davi’s database.
Lennok, instantly recalling a memory from this sequence of events, before he could say anything.
[It precisely matches the deepest part, the cradle, and patterns of the Space-Thought Domain Hanghasa Labyrinth.]
Davi said with a curious voice.
[I think I could find the way right now if I tried?]
“……Wait, the fact that it matches the Hanghasa Labyrinth’s patterns means…!”
Whoooosh…!!!
At that moment, a brilliant light began to streak across the entire labyrinth at tremendous speed, approaching them.
The mana light flashing across the labyrinth drew a colossal magic circle of immeasurable size.
Fwaaah!!!
As if embracing the falling Lennok, a magic circle hundreds of meters wide unfolded, using the entire labyrinth as its foundation.
Immediately after, intense, roughly scrawled text rapidly appeared and disappeared above the magic circle.
[Hanghasa Labyrinth operational authority holder recognized.]
[Heavenly Main Law Hierarchy Magic Circle activation preparing.]
[Ritual initiated.]
Boooooom!!!!
Simultaneously, the entire labyrinth glowed pure white, intensely rotating and rising, centered around Lennok.
A sense of incongruity, as if the entire labyrinth was about to stir and activate right then and there.
Only then did Davi also sense the anomaly and mutter in a flustered voice.
[Oh…?]
“Jindun once handed over the operational authority of the Hanghasa Labyrinth to me when he left.”
Lennok frowned, looking at the colossal magic circle glowing under his feet.
“The authority I received back then is reacting with this labyrinth. I didn’t anticipate this.”
The memory of the cradle where he inherited Barrier Spellcraft while playing Obaekro with Jindun.
But Jindun had not only passed on the world’s secrets and Barrier Spellcraft to Lennok back then.
The operational authority of the Space-Thought Domain Hanghasa Labyrinth.
The labyrinth’s operational authority, which he thought would no longer be needed after Jindun’s death and the labyrinth’s collapse.
It had begun to forcefully activate within the Ninth Tribulation’s trial, which mimicked a part of the Hanghasa Labyrinth.
Only then did Davi, realizing the meaning of Lennok’s words, cry out in alarm.
[Then, ‘Ritual initiated’ means…!!]
“It seems that as the Ninth Tribulation’s trial was activated, the Promotion Magic Circle contained within it was also forcefully triggered.”
Lennok hardened his expression and drew forth his mana.
“The Promotion Ritual is about to begin right now.”