Chapter 65: Tenth Level - Boss (3)

“I’m at 20%. If we categorize it into stages, it’s the first stage.”

She proudly declared this while swinging her hand. With a whoosh, flames erupted from it.

“As I said earlier, even at this level, the class of magic changes. But still, in overall terms, it’s just 20%. And while you can use all magic once you learn it, you can only use basic magic effectively.”

“A limit?”

“Labyrinth magic is divided into basic, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and highest. There’s more than that, but the known ones are these five stages.”

Lilis inflated her cheeks.

“Within the labyrinth, you can use all magic as much as allowed... but the level you can use effectively changes with proficiency. At 20%, you can fully harness the power of basic magic, but for beginner magic, you can only use it at about half effectiveness. Anything above intermediate is virtually unusable.”

It seemed it wasn’t merely about learning. If your proficiency wasn’t up to par, it was quite difficult to use stronger magic.

But there was something he didn’t quite understand.

“I’m at 2%, but I used beginner magic.”

“You can use beginner magic to some extent. The criteria get stricter from intermediate onwards.”

Lilis continued.

“When you hit 40%, you can perfectly control beginner magic. But the intermediate level will be relatively undeveloped. Advanced is virtually impossible. When you hit 60%, you can perfectly control intermediate magic; when you hit 80%, you can perfectly control advanced magic. 100% is the highest level.”

Her words outlined the stages. There were no restrictions in learning magic, but there was a constraint called proficiency in mastering it.

“So, am I at about the 2nd stage?”

“Yeah. And isn’t that strange! Do you think it makes sense for a novice to suddenly reach the 2nd stage?”

She cornered him with her face turning red.

“This is an insult to those who tread the path of magic!”

Considering she dedicated her life to the labyrinth and was still at 20%, it would be hard for her to accept.

“She’s throwing a fit. Mr. Hero, say something. Is this really possible?”

[Well...]

The ghost responded to Lilis, who was whining.



[If you pay the equivalent price, it's not impossible.]

“Ah, where would you find such a crazy person? An ordinary person would fall short even if they dedicated a hundred of their lives.”

[Normally, yes. Normally.]

“Chet.”

Lilis turned her head away grumpily at the ghost’s lukewarm response.

The conversation was over, and Lilis waved her hand.

“Well, go! Oh, Mr. Hero, is this the end for you?”

[Yes.]

The ghost’s quest only went up to the 10th floor.

“Let’s meet again if we can.”

[Sure.]

The ghost responded nonchalantly.

Taesan arrived again in front of the boss room on the 10th floor.

Taesan made a decision.

“I’ll use it for magic.”

It was more valuable to use it for magic than for other skills. After hearing Lilis’s words, he was sure of it.

He didn’t plan to use all 48%. Just 38%. He intended to use enough to exactly reach 40%.

[Using 380p. The proficiency of the magic skill has increased by 38%.]

Along with an extremely simple explanation, something engulfed Taesan. A different, alien sensation sprung out from within his physical body.

[You have obtained Magic Acceleration.] [You have obtained Magic Explosion.]

Taesan opened the skill window.

[Magic] [Proficiency: 40%] [You can properly handle magic. It seems you can control flames, adjust the cold, and manipulate the wind.] The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.



There was a significant change from the sentence that stated he could only handle a spark.

He could only see how it changed by experiencing it. Taesan then spread out his hand.

[You have activated a Blazing Orb.]

Fire was kindled in the air.

Its size was twice as large as when he had used it before.

“Oh-ho.”

Taesan let out a small exclamation of admiration.

Not only had the power of magic increased, but the activation time of the magic had also changed.

Previously, there was a slight delay.

[Ogre Warrior has appeared.]

Taesan calmly thrust his sword.

[You have activated Blazing Orb.] [You have activated Magic Acceleration.]

The slowly flying magic accelerated. The Ogre Warrior flinched and tried to avoid it, but it was too late.

[112 damage to the Ogre Warrior.]

“Whoa.”

Taesan whistled. The damage was incredible.

“Kuoooo!”

[You have activated Confusion.]

“Ku, kuo.”

The Ogre Warrior flinched momentarily, but confusion was the most basic magic. An Ogre Warrior could quickly shake it off.

Taesan added acceleration to it.

[You have activated Magic Acceleration.]

“Ku, kuoak.”

The ogre, attempting to shake it off, flinched again. The more potent magic harshly assaulted the ogre’s head. It couldn’t easily shake it off this time and clutched its head.

“So, mental magic works too. What about this, then?”

[You have activated Magic Explosion.]

The ogre’s body shivered slightly. Drool trickled from its wide-open mouth.

“It works.”

It seemed to shake the brain itself and did not need mental judgment. This was better for Taesan.

[You have activated Confusion.]

“Kuooo!!!”

[Judgment success!]

Perhaps due to its weakened state, the judgment was immediately successful this time. The ogre’s eyes became clouded.

As expected, it was convenient. Taesan continued to form magic with a smile.

[You have activated Blazing Orb.] [You have activated Frost Arrow.]

Numerous fire orbs and ice arrows formed in the air. When their number reached the tens, Taesan launched them all at once.

“Ku, kuo.”

The ogre, its head wobbling, tried to avoid them with great effort. As the magic got close to his target, Taesan clenched his fist.

[You have activated Magic Explosion.]

Red explosions and ice bombs went off like fireworks. The ogre’s body was repeatedly frozen and burned.

“Kuoooooo!”

[86 damage to the Ogre Warrior.] [90 damage to the Ogre Warrior.] [78 damage to the Ogre Warrior.] [110 damage to the Ogre Warrior.] [You have triumphed over the Ogre Warrior.] [You have defeated the 10th-floor boss. You obtained the base reward [Ogre Ring].]

“Nice.”

Taesan muttered while receiving the reward. It was as convenient as he thought. The ogre, despite being able to avoid the magic he used, couldn’t do anything.

There was no need to even move his body at this rate. At least up to the 20th floor; he could get there just by using magic.

The ghost spoke impassively.

[Magic is the axis here. It's the natural result since you reached 40%. You should know that it's absurd to raise proficiency like this.]

“Is everything settled now?”

“More or less.”

The ghost’s voice carried a sense of confusion ever since he saw the rift back on Earth. The ghost let out a deep sigh.

[But... I don't know, either. Why did such things appear?]

“So what is it?”

The ghost knew about the beings that invaded the Earth.

“Who trampled upon our world?”

In response to the calm yet emotionally charged question, the ghost fell silent for a moment before speaking.

[I've only heard about it in stories, so I don't know the details. It might not be true. Let's consider it as one possibility and move on.]

A voice filled with complex emotions resounded through the air.

[I said that for the Transcendents to have meaningful interference, they, too, must sacrifice something, right?]

“So that’s why the influence area of the gods in this place has diminished.”

“Yes. Even the Transcendents residing in the Labyrinth must sacrifice something to interfere within the Labyrinth. It’s even more severe to interfere with other worlds. That’s why they usually don’t do it. At most, they reduce the interference of the Divine Order. It’s what you might call madness.”

But Earth was experiencing such madness in real-time. Incomprehensible monsters trampled them and brought humanity to ruin.

“There are beings capable of such things. Beings that can interfere with the mortal world without expending any power. Beings from the forgotten past who have now lost their names.”