Chapter 103 …

31. Sixth Floor Trial (6)

‘This is insane!’

Thump thump!

As if noticing Kaelion’s change, Al started running around frantically beside her.

“Haa…”

Her once-pale skin now burned red, as if scorched by molten lava.

‘The Trial of Lava isn’t something Kaelion in her current state can handle!’

No matter which Celestial it was, no one could force a player to accept a <Celestial Edict>.

That Kaelion was showing such a clear transformation meant that she had accepted the <Celestial Edict> herself.

‘What was she thinking…? Well, I suppose the current Kaelion wouldn’t even know what the Trial of Lava entails.’

She likely thought that, combined with Jin Hyuk’s teachings and Surtr’s trial, she could clear the sixth floor faster.

“Haa… ugh…!”

And that had led to this result.

[By Celestial <King of Muspel>, the <Trial of Lava> begins.]

[<Status Abnormality: Restriction> is lifted, and during the trial, Strength, Stamina, and Agility stats increase by 30 each.]

[Failure will result in death.]

‘It’s hot…’

The flow that had been in the <Haedong> training ground was no longer like simple waves.

It was much thicker, much hotter—molten lava.

Through her heart, spine, arms, and legs.

The searing, molten-like flow coursed along Kaelion’s veins.

‘The flow… the flow is breaking me. No, it’s melting me!’

At this moment, only one emotion ruled Kaelion’s mind.

Fear.

The fear that she might literally melt alive.

A fear that any living being could not avoid.

Because of this, Kaelion could do nothing but flail helplessly.

“Focus!”

Then, a frantic voice reached her ears.

It was Jin Hyuk, who had been guiding her all this time.

“Focus! Keep absorbing the flow into your body!”

‘Absorb the flow… into my body…!’

Shzzzz!

Perhaps because he had stayed by her side, watching her one-on-one for all this time, Kaelion now had complete trust in Jin Hyuk.

Even in the midst of fear, hearing his voice alone was enough to snap her back to focus.

Shzzzz!

So she struggled to make the flow her own, just as she had been taught.

“Your hearing is sharp, so you should hear me clearly! Follow the meridians you’ve learned in <Haedong>. Absorb the surrounding mana and my energy along those meridians!”

‘Easier said than done!’

The usually calm Jin Hyuk’s voice was urgent.

Kaelion snapped back to attention and focused.

Fortunately, aside from the pain and fear, it wasn’t impossible.

Jin Hyuk was lending her his energy to help.

‘Ugh…!’

The lava energy of Surtr, Jin Hyuk’s holy flame, and the cold wave-like energy of <Haedong>…

All of it gradually converged, flowing into Kaelion’s body.

‘Even just a moment ago, Kaelion was clearly turning the surrounding flow into her own.’

Jin Hyuk gritted his teeth as he guided Kaelion’s flow.

‘But her vessel was ordinary, so it couldn’t contain it all—it was bouncing out.’

[Skill <Cosmic Vistara> activated.]

Watching clearly with his eyes, Jin Hyuk continued guiding the flow.

At that moment, he realized:

‘This isn’t a situation where I can follow a normal <Pajo Sword Technique>.’

Pajo Sword Technique, Third Form, Collapse (崩).

A sword form that gathers the flow and completely disrupts the opponent’s flow or that within a certain range.

It could not be used in Kaelion’s current state.

If it was used, it would simply strike with brute force—and at the same time, her own body would turn to ash.

“Gather it!”

‘Gather it?’

“Think of it as gathering the flow and energy, trapping it inside your body. Don’t break the waves; condense them!”

Shzzzz!

“Any kind of energy will do. You are the one who will control it.”

‘Control… control!’

At that moment, Kaelion felt something explode within her body.

It was as if bright red, molten lava was bursting outward.

Simultaneously, every meridian in her body seemed to open all at once.

But Kaelion’s meridians were fragile.

Even with High Elf blood, there was no way she could withstand the power of a godlike Celestial like Surtr.

Thwack!

Jin Hyuk pressed his palm against Kaelion’s back.

[Skill <Holy Flame Dragon> activated.]

[Skill <Holy Barrier> activated.]

[Skill <Heal> activated.]

He pushed his holy flame into her, using <Holy Barrier> to protect her meridians and <Heal> to repair her injuries.

‘Thank you…!’

With his support, Kaelion mustered the strength to endure the <Trial of Lava>.

Hours passed.

Creak… creak…!

The searing, lava-like energy Surtr had bestowed gradually settled within Kaelion’s body.

“This is…?”

Her body felt light.

So light that it seemed as if her body moved without her effort.

When she exerted force, the molten energy enveloped her bones and muscles, multiplying her strength many times over.

Not only that—time seemed to slow, her senses sharpened, and she could keep going for days without tiring.

‘Is this really my body?’

A change on a completely different level.

[<King of Muspel>: Congratulations.]

A Celestial’s voice reached Kaelion, still dazed by the change.

[<King of Muspel>: You used that pesky one to reach a new realm. Heh heh heh.]

‘Pesky one…? Ah.’

Swish.

“Jin Hyuk!”

“Haa… haa…”

Kaelion blankly asked as she saw Jin Hyuk sweating behind her.

“How… how did this happen?”

“Congratulations.”

Sweating and barely able to think of cleaning up, Jin Hyuk staggered.

“You’ve reached a new realm.”

“…What?”

At that moment, countless messages filled Kaelion’s vision.

[You have endured the <Trial of Lava>.]
[Score assessment for Pajo Sword Technique, Second Form: Seize (奪) begins.]
[Perfect execution. 100 points.]
[Score assessment for Pajo Sword Technique, Third Form: Collapse (崩) begins.]
[You have not yet learned Pajo Sword Technique, Third Form: Collapse (崩).]
[You have satisfied the goals of the <Celestial Edict>.]
[As a reward, you have created a new sword technique based on the flow of <Pajo Sword Technique> and the power of <King of Muspel>!]
[Existing <Pajo Sword Technique> is replaced by <Molten Flow Sword Technique (熔流劍法)>.]
[A hidden element was discovered! You broke the original trial’s framework and created a new sword technique.]
[Main Quest <Recognition of the Strong: Beyond Expectation> cleared.]
[You have learned the first, second, and third forms of the new sword technique <Molten Flow Sword Technique (熔流劍法)>.]

“…Huh?”

Millions—perhaps hundreds of millions, even billions—of players reaching the sixth floor normally only learned existing sword techniques.

Creating a new sword technique.

Creating a technique recognized by the tower’s system as complete.

Of all those players, fewer than ten could discover and apply such a hidden piece.

“Unbelievable…”

She couldn’t believe that she, who had made no progress for twelve years, had instantly created a sword technique and cleared the sixth-floor trial.

“What is… this…?”

[You can now challenge the seventh-floor trial at any time.]
[Skill <Aura Blade> acquired.]
[Clue for Unique Skill <Fusion Sword (融合劍)> acquired.]

Seeing these messages, Kaelion hugged Jin Hyuk without thinking.

“Thank you! Really, thank you…!”

“…Yes…”

Jin Hyuk, however, was utterly exhausted, on the verge of collapsing.

[You performed actions that violate the <Celestial Edict>.]
[<Celestial Edict> failed.]

‘Damn…!’

The 100,000-point <Celestial Edict> given by Hestia had failed.

It was her first failure, but oddly, she didn’t feel too bad about it.

“Still not leaving?”

“Where would I go? I’ll stay and help you, Jin Hyuk.”

Grin.

“You said you had a request for me. I’ll stick by your side until it’s fulfilled.”

[<Eternal Flame>: Th-th-th… that… that fire fox… no, lava fox…! (╯°□°）╯.]
[<Golden Smile>: Heh heh heh. Just watching quietly and it’ll be taken away?]
[<King of the Rise of China>: Hahaha.]

The next day.

Watching Kaelion carefully looking after him, Jin Hyuk nodded.

“I’ll go do some training. Rest a bit more.”

“Yes.”

Whoosh…! Whoosh!

Even after clearing the sixth-floor trial, Kaelion continued training diligently, swinging her sword.

‘She hasn’t gone to the seventh floor yet. Of course not—Kaelion, who repays enemies twice and favors tenfold, wouldn’t just leave me behind.’

Grin.

‘This isn’t a small investment either.’

Floors six to nine weren’t like normal worlds arranged by floor.

The tenth floor, <Martial World>, was vast, and the tower had provided a sort of space.

Floors six through nine existed solely as trial zones.

‘From the tutorial to the fourth floor, each had its own world.’

This means the trial floors share space with the players.

Even after clearing a trial, one can remain on that floor until the next trial.

Hence, Kaelion could stay here.

[Celestial <King of Muspel> looks fondly at his tenth disciple.]

‘As expected, she has become Surtr’s disciple. Well, there’s no reason to bestow such a trial on someone who isn’t meant to be his disciple.’

An elf becoming a disciple of another Celestial?

Impossible.

All elves were born followers of the World Tree’s deity.

But Kaelion was special.

Though a High Elf, she was a player abandoned by both spirits and the World Tree.

Thus, she was not yet a follower of <The Tree of the Universe>.

‘Too many variables now.’

Normally, 25 years later—13 years from now—Kaelion would have mastered <Pajo Sword Technique> to the extreme, harmonizing everything around her as a High Elf.

She would absorb the abandoned spirits, offer them to the World Tree, sacrifice for other elves, and earn the title ‘Noble Elf.’

‘Her focus on elves and the World Tree, not other races, caused some trouble.’

But now, inheriting Surtr’s power, she had created a new technique, <Molten Flow Sword Technique>, and become his disciple, gaining even greater power.

The future had drastically changed due to Jin Hyuk and the unexpected Celestial intervention.

‘Doesn’t matter now.’

Jin Hyuk smiled watching the elf wielding her sword in <Haedong> attire, no longer in a swimsuit.

‘She’s handling the power I want far better than before.’

[Skill <Cosmic Vistara> activated.]

To Jin Hyuk’s eyes, it was clear: the flows and energies around Kaelion naturally fused into her.

Everything around her melted and merged.

‘Before the regression, even after 25 years, she hadn’t cleared the sixth floor as a Sword Master.’

Grin.

‘Now she’s a Sword Master, 13 years ahead, and her fusion skill is stronger than before.’

Jin Hyuk observed his skills and sword techniques:

<Changgung Muae Sword Technique> from Namgung Hoon,
Original <Seongmyeol Sword Technique>,
And the recently acquired <Pajo Sword Technique>.

It was time to combine them into one.

Only then could she easily and powerfully acquire the upcoming ‘power to control spirits.’

And the one who would serve as the medium was the elf over there.

Kaelion.

[<King of Muspel>: You said you were abandoned by spirits and that stupid tree, right?]
[Celestial <King of Muspel> smiles satisfactorily.]
[<King of Muspel>: But that fire and lava are incomparably purer than spirits.]