Ensemble Leveling
Chapter 33: Smashing Through Mountain Path
The race having reached its midpoint, and the true challenge has just only begun. 15 minutes into the second stage of trial, however, over 50 participants have been disqualified from the race already due to various reasons involving the sentinels deployed.
Jihoon being soon approaching the ending part of the second song in Linked Song Magic, thus he mentally command his Doppelgangers that are playing on the helicopter which is following him.
“Transition to SPIKA, now!” Jihoon commanded as the Doppelgangers heed his command without
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SPIKA
Classification: Song Magic
Rank: Intermediate
Effect (MAG 30):
-+100% to MAG
(This effect can only be stacked once and is overlapped by stronger similar effect.)
--------____{\\\\////}_____--------
______-----{////\\\\}-----______
+Non-physical Attributes:
-MAG: 30 (+30)
------_____{\\\\////}_____------
______-----{////\\\\}-----______
Exceed! -> Belief -> SPIKA
Classification: Linked Song Magic
Rank: Intermediate
Linked Effect:
+100% to MAG
Effect becomes +200% to MAG if caster is performing this song directly.
(MAG 90)
+[18.5*MAG]% (Currently: 1,650%) to all Physical Attributes to all allies within Song Magic’s range.
Effect becomes +2*[18.5*MAG]% (Currently: 3,300%) to all Physical Attributes if caster is performing this song directly.
--------____{\\\\////}_____--------
______-----{////\\\\}-----______
+Physical Attributes:
-STR: 13 (+429)
-END: 14 (+470)
-AGI: 14 (+462)
-DEX: 13 (+429)
------_____{\\\\////}_____------
He had a more explosive combination of Linked Song Magic but that one is only for singular moment. This would stay consistent at least to the final duration of SPIKA, 5 minutes and a half. Mid-boundary of 3-digit Physical stats, Jihoon is certain that this alone is faster than everyone else who is participating in this trial. Seeing how the top-ranking positions hasn’t yet completely ditched him behind.
And so, with focus once the transition activated, he accelerated ahead. Forgetting the devil in the details.
Moving at speed 46 times the human limit, being 10 meter/s. Doing the simple multiplication, Jihoon will break the sound barrier. When he surpassed that boundary for the first time during training, there was only himself and Alvorna observing because they were in middle of nowhere. But here, he was being observed by everyone watching the broadcast. Thousands if not millions of people are watching the race unfold in real time.
This was no minor feat. In Absence, only Expert-class magic users above, those who had reached mastery of an element, were known to achieve this level of speed through manipulation of their own element in methodical ways suited solely for them.
Yet, Jihoon who only registered his best magic proficiency at Intermediate-class Light Magic. No one remotely aware of the nature of his Song Magic as people used the melody to compliment their elements rather than making it a separate form of magic of its own.
Not to say that they couldn’t possibly known but because the element they wield is no different than their life since it came with them since birth. In their view, their own elemental magic is their best to develop and everything else in supplementary toward it.
And as he accelerated, the atmosphere ahead of him started to press against him, forming a barrier to halt his advance but it wasn’t enough. Then in an instant, a deafening boom smashed through the air. The shockwave rippled outward, tearing through the dirt trail’s terrain with overwhelming force.
Dust and debris, thrown into the air as his great trampling motion blurred into afterimages as the very earth seemed to quake in response. Trees bent and cracked under the sheer pressure, and even the sentinels, those manmade constructs made in image of warriors of Absence’s past, were caught off guard as their magical forms thrown amidst the powerful shockwave
The crowd watching the broadcast went utterly silent for a moment. Across Cicones, in homes, taverns, and the bustling entertainment district, jaws dropped as people watched the impossible unfold. No one could comprehend what they were seeing. How could a participant at Jihoon’s level achieve something only those of Expert-class proficiency and above were capable of?
Back in the entertainment district, Karim remained still, his eyes fixed on the screen as Jihoon tore through the ranks. The man next to him looked on in disbelief. “Did he just… break the sound barrier?”
Karim’s expression remained calm, somewhat coming to the same conclusion that Jihoon did something with his unique talent back during their preparation training. Seeing that a trace of Expert-class Magic spell used and dispelled by force.
“Yes,” he replied simply. “He did.”
People across Absence, regardless of race or proficiency, struggled to understand what had just happened. The principles of magic had always dictated that such feats required an understanding far beyond Jihoon’s supposed capabilities.
The magic scholars who observed the race through the broadcast from their gilded halls frowned, shaking their heads as they scribbled notes frantically, trying to understand the principles behind what they had just witnessed. Some postulated about unknown magic, others speculated that Jihoon was tapping into forces beyond their comprehension.
But all agreed on one thing—what Jihoon had just done should not have been possible on his level of registered proficiency.
The commentators, recovering from their shock, tried to put words to the event. “Ladies and gentlemen, we… we’ve just witnessed something incredible. Jihoon Hyunwoon has broken the sound barrier! This—this isn’t something we normally see outside of Expert-class magic users, how did he do this!?”
Their disbelief mirrored the astonishment spreading across the spectators.
As Jihoon’s speed continued to increase, so did his rank. With every step, he left more and more participants behind, moving through them like a blur, his momentum unstoppable. The leaderboard flickered again as Jihoon’s rank surged, climbing higher and higher with each passing second.
From 50th to 30th, to 20th—and still climbing.
Every step seemed to tear apart the ground beneath him, creating mini-craters with every powerful stride. The wind itself screamed in protest as Jihoon left shockwaves in his wake, his speed tearing through the trail as if it were a mere obstacle to be shattered.
Back on the helicopter, Rosa watched the display in utter disbelief. The sound barrier? That was… beyond what she could have ever imagined. Her sharp intellect, honed through years of running the Magni Conglomeration, tried and failed to rationalize what she was seeing.
“What... is he doing? What kind of magic is that?” she muttered, shaking her head in complete astonishment.
From the sidelines, veteran racers and participants stared in awe as Jihoon blazed past them, his speed creating a whirlwind of dust and debris. Some of them had trained their whole lives for the Odyssey, honing their physical and magical attributes, and yet this man, who was just only a name in the opening ceremony, was outpacing them with ease.
At the very top ranking, Fenrir, Legolas and Zorn whose placement have been changing between one another suddenly felt the ripple of broken sound barrier. And that Jihoon was approaching close behind.
He was about to overcome his adversity yet again.
"Is that… him?" Legolas muttered under his breath, his sharp elven senses detecting Jihoon’s approach even before he appeared.
Fenrir, eyes wide, turned to look back just in time to see Jihoon’s blurred form ripping through the distance, his speed now undeniable.
“Impossible…” Zorn growled, the dwarf warrior gritting his teeth as Jihoon shot past them like a comet, leaving the top three in the dust.
And just like that, Jihoon overtook them all.
The crowd, the commentators, even the other racers were left speechless. Jihoon, who had once been dead last, was now leading the Odyssey.
“Jihoon Hyunwoon—he’s done it! He’s taken first place!” the commentator’s voice boomed, barely able to contain his excitement. “This is unbelievable! From last place to first in one race! I’ve never seen anything like it in Odyssey history!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, their excitement palpable as Jihoon stormed ahead. But in his pursuit of speed, Jihoon overlooked one critical detail. The sharp turn at the end of the dirt trail, where the course transitioned into a winding mountain path.
Moving at Mach speed, Jihoon had little control over his momentum. His body, now operating beyond even his own control, couldn't make the sharp turn required to stay on course. Before he realized it, he had run straight off the trail, hurtling off the side of the path and into the wilds beyond.
In a blink, Jihoon had flown completely off the course.
“Oh no! Jihoon—he’s off the track!” the commentator cried, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. “At those speeds… there’s no way he could’ve made that turn!”
Expert-class magic user could somehow compensate for lack of control during supersonic speed movement. But Jihoon was merely mimicking the power of one with his Song Magic can only stumble with a delicate system.
“He’s completely lost control! His speed—it’s working against him now!” the co-commentator added, her tone urgent. “This could cost him the entire race!”
The crowd’s cheers before turned to gasps as Jihoon tumbled out of sight, his body crashing into the rough terrain beyond the course in a cloud of dust and debris.
His Linked Song Magic, nearing its final moments, began to wane. The boost from Linked Song Magic started to fade, his physical stats returning to normal as the power of the song ebbed away.
Groaning, Jihoon staggered to his feet, realizing too late the cost of his reckless speed. He had flown so far off the course that it would take precious time to return even if he somehow could utilize.
And worse—he’d completely forgotten about his helicopter. The flying aircraft, carrying his Doppelgangers who fueled his Linked Song Magic, couldn’t keep up with him during his Mach run. They were now far behind, out of range, and he could no longer rely on them to maintain the magic’s effects.
The realization hit him like a brick. He had lost them as he muttered in frustration.
Back on the screens, the commentators couldn’t help but voice the collective shock of the audience. “What a blunder! Jihoon, who was just in first place, has flown off the course! At this rate, he may have just thrown away his victory!”
The co-commentator sighed. “It’s unfortunate… He had everything in his hands, but sometimes, even the greatest power can be a double-edged sword. He’s going to have a hard time recovering from this.”
No one watching truly understood the intricacies of Jihoon’s Song Magic, the subtle balance between his performance and the magic it created. They saw only his sudden fall from grace, not realizing the delicate system he had built around his Doppelgangers. Without them, Jihoon was left exposed, and his error had seemingly cost him the race.
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As Jihoon scrambled to find his way back to the course, the other participants continued forward, Fenrir, Legolas, and Zorn regaining their positions at the front. Jihoon, once the impossible frontrunner, was now left scrambling to return to the race he had nearly claim its entirety for himself.
But even as the odds seemed stacked against him, Jihoon’s eyes narrowed with determination. He had come this far—and if there was anything he had learned, it was that he had never been one to give up, no matter how dire the situation seemed.
Jihoon uses the System to play one of his Song Magic again, it can’t perform Linked Song Magic on its own since that is strictly his method to chain Song Magics together. The little goddess gave him the foundation, the fire of his power which manifested as a System since it is a suitable interface for him. But to make it ablaze was his own effort and idea.
‘System, play Mirrored Resentment’, Jihoon mentally commanded as he tries to return to the path post-haste.
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Mirrored Resentment
Classification: Song Magic
Rank: Intermediate
Effect (MAG 30):
-+[4*MAG]% (Currently: 120%) to all physical attributes.
The closer one is to death, the stronger this effect (Max: -+6*[4*MAG]%) (Current multiplier: *1.5)
(Current effect: 180%)
--------____{\\\\////}_____--------
______-----{////\\\\}-----______
+Physical Attributes:
-STR: 13 (+23.4)
-END: 14 (+33.6)
-AGI: 14 (+25.2)
-DEX: 13 (+23.4)
------_____{\\\\////}_____------
First composed during the heat of battle when he tried to fight against his own Doppelganger, a being whose combat prowess utterly perfected that Jihoon can only briefly surpass its impenetrable domain through deadly obsession. Because of it, its power solely designed with the idea of him fighting to the death and hopefully, that obsession is stronger than his opponent.
With the accident occurred at moving at Mach speed, if it weren’t for his Agony Resistance and END stats boosted by Linked Song Magic before, that would have been his end right there. Imagine getting vehicular manslaughter-ed with a flying fighter jet. That’s what has happened to him by equivalent. So yeah, he had some injury right now but not the life-threatening, yet.
And the shield bracelet… took considerable damage because of him flying off-course. His situation would have been funny in hindsight if it also didn’t have real consequence slapped upon.
With grumbling frustration, he rushed back at the cliff which he ran off from. It was steep and climbing it would be a hell of its own. He had no one to blame but himself for his own setback.
Using the subspace storage bracelet that he is allowed. The participants are allowed to bring their own equipment to combat against the sentinels. But not allowed to harm each other to disqualify one another. This isn’t his halberd, more of an auxiliary survival tool even if it’s rather overkill for its purpose.
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Dual Adamantium Survival Knives
Classification: Dual Knives
Rarity: Mortal
ATK+: 33
Description:
Forged by the renowned blacksmiths of the House Magni and its Conglomeration,
this custom-crafted knife is made from a rare blend of adamantium alloy,
granting it unparalleled durability and sharpness.
------_____{\\\\////}_____------
The pair of knives gleamed within Jihoon’s hands as he gripped them firmly. His survival tool, designed specifically for him alone. At the request of even its CEO.
With his enhanced strength, now three times the peak human limit, scaling the cliff wouldn’t be difficult physically. The challenge was more in the sheer length of the climb. He estimated it would take several minutes to reach the top again, and in that time, the helicopter carrying his Doppelgangers would be struggling to catch up.
Every second he spent off the course meant his ranking was plummeting. The leaderboard displayed on the holographic screens in Cicones showed his placement steadily dropping, much to the crowd’s dismay. People who had watched his miraculous rise to first place were now witnessing his fall, and the once-roaring cheers turned to murmurs of concern.
Jihoon had slipped from the first place, then top 50, then into the bottom half. By the time he neared the top of the cliff after much struggle and squalor, he had fallen all the way back to last place.
“This… this is a disaster,” the commentator said, disbelief dripping from his voice. “Jihoon Hyunwoon, who was just leading the race moments ago, is now dead last. It seems his incredible speed worked against him when he couldn’t control his momentum. He’s fallen far behind!”
A co-commentator nodded, her tone filled with trepidation. “I’m afraid his comeback beforre might have cost him the entire race. The cliff he fell from was steep, and with his placement dropping like this, it’ll be nearly impossible to recover.”
The spectators watched with bated breath as Jihoon’s name remained stuck at the bottom of the leaderboard. Some shook their heads in disappointment, while others still clung to the hope that he would find a way back into the race.
Meanwhile, Jihoon’s fingers tightened around the adamantium knives in both hands as he carved his way up the cliff. The magic of Mirrored Resentment still pulsing through him, and his resolve only hardened. He wasn’t finished yet, not by a long shot. He had come back from the last place before, and he would do it again. As many times or as long as it takes.
Whatever lowest point he faced right now, can’t be possibly lower than the mire or slum he was in before he recreated the Forgotten Melody.
After completing his climb back to the trail, the helicopter came to him just in time. Normally, he would just have the Doppelgangers performed another Linked Song Magic to catch up but… he needed something more suitable for the terrain ahead.
The winding mountain path is far more unforgiving by comparison and if his previous performance is any indication, he would have thrown himself off the mountain and that probably going to get him worse than just disqualification.
“Follow my cue, we’re going to make another Song Magic”. Jihoon mentally commanded all the Doppelgangers on the helicopter through the link of light that he reestablished between them.
With their instruments on the ready, Jihoon rummaged his memory as he walked the trail toward the mountain path with what can be perceived almost as leisure. Taking the electric guitar out of his inventory bracelet, he begins in earnest with his Doppelganger.
Time signature, 4/4. Key signature, B minor. The key signature of patience and calmness. As if awaiting something in far distance away with yearning.
[B minor key signature: B C# D E F# G A B]
Smashing Through Mountain Path
D_D C#_D_D~ E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ | E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ E_F#_G_F E_C#|
D_D C#_D_D~ E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ | E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ E_F#_E_D C#|
The strum of acoustic guitar performed by the Jin-lookalike Doppelganger conveys a consistent backdrop for the song. The consistent rise and drop of the notes make one felt as if ascending and descending a mountain path.
Jihoon then joined in with his electric guitar, as the introduction backdrop is refrained again. Giving the
D_D C#_D_D~ E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ | E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ E_F#_G_F E_C#|
D_D C#_D_D~ E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ | E_D_D~ C#_D_D~ E_F#_E_D C#|
Immediately, Jihoon stopped to let the Jin-lookalike play the verse alone with the acoustic guitar. To set the atmosphere for the rest of it.
B_G A+_B+ A+_G F#_E| D_E-E A_B-B|
B_C#_D_E F#~_A~ G F#|
F#_G F#_E D_E-E| E_G F#_E D_C# B|
B C# D~| E_F# C# F#~|
An almost idyllic melody played, seemingly contradicting the nature of the race they're in. While participants are competing fiercely, Jihoon seemingly just played while everyone is metaphorically bleeding amidst the path ahead, fighting against the sentinels placed on their way.
To anyone watching, it seemed like he was in his own world, far removed from the chaos surrounding him.
The broadcast caught this peculiar scene, and the commentators were completely baffled.
"What is he doing…?" one commentator asked, stunned. "Jihoon’s… playing music? While everyone else is fighting for their lives up there, he’s just walking and playing?"
The co-commentator, equally confused, could only shake her head. “I don’t understand. He was in last place and just managed to climb back into the race, and now he’s… composing a song? This is—this is unprecedented. No one does this in the Odyssey! Is this some sort of strategy?”
From way ahead, some of the participants noticed as they looked back on the lone figure that is merely a dot in the distance. Here they were, desperately trying to hold their lead, bodies aching from the treacherous terrain, and Jihoon was taking a leisurely stroll, playing an acoustic melody. Some sneered, others laughed, thinking he had completely lost it. None of them understood.
"Has Jihoon given up? Is this his way of accepting defeat?" the commentator speculated, completely unaware of what Jihoon was planning.
The audience, too, was puzzled. Spectators all across Cicones watched in confusion, unsure whether to cheer or question his sanity. Some even began to voice their concerns, wondering if the Maestro had finally bitten off more than he could chew.
But Jihoon knew better. He had a plan, a carefully crafted Song Magic that would ensure his return to the race wasn’t just a comeback but a triumphant surge. As the Jin-lookalike Doppelganger’s fingers start to dance across the string, it refrained the verse again. But with a little twist to the end.
B_G A+_B+ A+_G F#_E| D_E-E A_B-B|
B_C#_D_E F#~_A~ G F#|
F#_G F#_E D_E-E| E_G F#_E D_C# B|
C# D~~| A B~~|
With the refrained verse end with the key signature note, it properly concludes the verse for transition into pre-chorus. As if arriving at the destination. The acoustic melody blended effortlessly into the electric guitar’s backdrop, each note flowing like a stream over the jagged rocks of the mountain path.
The air of confusion wasn’t confined to the spectators and commentators. In the helicopter above, Rosa sat in stunned silence, watching as Jihoon leisurely walked the mountain path, strumming his electric guitar and coordinating with his Doppelgangers to create music. Her analytical mind, honed through years of managing the Magni Conglomeration as its CEO, simply couldn’t reconcile what she was seeing with the urgency of the race.
"What in Absence is he doing?" she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing at the screen. She had known Jihoon to be unpredictable, but this was beyond anything she could have anticipated. A race of this magnitude, where competitors were pushing themselves to their absolute limits, and Jihoon… was taking a stroll? Composing music?
Her fingers tapped against the armrest, her thoughts racing.
"Is this how he plans to win? By… playing songs? In the middle of a mountain path, no less?" The very idea sounded ludicrous, even for someone like him.
Despite her disbelief, Rosa ultimately couldn’t tear her eyes away from the screen. The strum of the guitars, the graceful movements of the Doppelgangers, the intricate composition, all of it together spoke to a method that she didn’t fully grasp. She was frustrated by how much of his plan remained a mystery to her. But one thing she did know was that Jihoon wasn’t someone who gave up easily.
The Doppelganger that Jihoon designed as his own otome genderbend gracefully picked up the flute—a delicate instrument, yet in the hands of it, a flawless performance is played with precision. The soothing pre-chorus filled the air, each note deliberates.
B+ C#+ D+~| C#+ B+ F#~| F# A+ G~| F# E F#~|
B C# D~| C# B F-| B+ C#+ D+~| C#+ B+ F|
F# E F#~| A+~ F#~| D E D~| G D C#~|
C# D E~| B~ D E |F#~~~|
By ending on a dominant chord (fifth note of any key signature), it gave off the feeling inconclusion. As if heralding of something greater to come.
The dominant chord at the end of the pre-chorus lingered in the air, creating a tension that seemed to stretch out into the horizon. The crowd watching in Cicones could feel it—the music was building, pulling them into a moment of anticipation that none of them fully understood.
Far below, Karim stood in the bustling entertainment district, still watching Jihoon’s progress on the holographic screen, but his expression was entirely different from Rosa’s. While everyone else was questioning Jihoon’s actions, Karim’s lips curled into a knowing smile. His sharp eyes gleamed with recognition as the music flowed through the speakers, growing more complex with each passing note.
"That fool," he murmured softly, shaking his head, though his voice carried an unmistakable tone of admiration. "He’s always been like this. When things get tough, Jihoon doesn’t panic—he composes."
Karim wasn’t fooled by Jihoon’s seemingly leisurely pace. He knew better than anyone that this was no act of surrender. Jihoon had a plan, and if his understanding of his pupil was right, the Maestro was laying the foundation for something remarkable.
The tension in the air wasn’t just in the notes—it was in the atmosphere surrounding Jihoon. While the other participants fought tooth and nail against the unforgiving mountain path, struggling to stay in the race, Jihoon was setting the stage for his next move. He wasn’t a competitor, rather… a composer, and his greatest composition so far was yet to unfold.
The audience, commentators, and fellow racers had no idea what was coming. But for those who knew Jihoon, like Karim, the calm before the storm was all too familiar.
F_F F F~|
And so, Jihoon and all of his Doppelgangers synchronized together for the chorus.
A_B A_B A_B-B| G_F# E_D B~|B_C# D_E A F#_F#_F#_F#|
E_F# G_F E_C#-C#|D_E F#_E D_C# B|
B A B~|F# E_G F#_E D_B|
A_B A_B A_B-B| G_F# E_D B~|B_C# D_E A F#_F#_F#_F#|
E_F# G_F E_C#-C#|D_E F#_A+ G_F# E_D |C#_B-B F#~|
E_A+_G_F E_D C#~| D B~~|
This chorus, is why he called it ‘Smashing Through Mountain Path’. Its melody so energetic and uplifting that one truly felt like that they could literally smash through the mountain themselves. The melancholic undertone of the B minor key work in its favor as if truly convey a longing that the bearer allowing nothing to stop its resolution.
An unstoppable triumphant return. That’s what Jihoon wants to describe it. Everything else falls short of description.
B_B B A_B-B|
With a resolve using the key signature’s tonic performed by everyone. He officially completes the song. It’s just looping back to the verse again.
The System then registered his composed Song Magic, something that will adjust his stats appropriately for the stage ahead of him.
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Smashing Through Mountain Path
Classification: Song Magic
Rank: Intermediate
Effect (MAG 30):
-+[3.5*MAG]% (Currently: 105%) to all Physical Attributes of self.
-+[5*MAG]% to AGI and DEX for every obstacle encountered during duration. (Max: 10 stacks)
If in a difficult mountain region. Stack is set to max.
-Increased mental clarity during high-pressure situations. (Improve reaction time, focus)
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The song was built for exactly this environment. Not only just enhance his physical attributes, but it gave him an edge where it mattered most right now, his agility and endurance would spike with every difficult obstacle but takes effect instantly here. His mind would sharpen, allowing him to react instantly to the unpredictable terrain.
This was his song for the mountain path—crafted for the sole purpose of overcoming it with precision and force.
As the final notes echoed in the air, back in the helicopter, Rosa found herself leaning forward, caught completely off guard by the emotion that surged through her. She wasn’t a musical prodigy by any means—she had never really understood Jihoon’s obsession with his compositions before. But as she listened to Smashing Through Mountain Path, something inside her stirred.
She felt the power in the music, the raw, unstoppable determination that seemed to pulse with every beat. The melancholic undertones wrapped around her like a bittersweet memory, but instead of pulling her down, it lifted her up, as though the longing in the melody was paired with an unbreakable will to overcome.
Musicians have their methods to weave their personal learning into every song. Even without any word spoken, she knew that Jihoon was telling one of his own stories. One of triumph, of rising from the lowest point, of crushing through any obstacle with sheer force of will.
For once, she placed her unconditional trust in him. That he knew precisely what he needs to do.
Back to Jihoon, he puts away his electric guitar into the subspace inventory bracelet. Looking at the destination far away at the top of the mountain.
“Let’s do this”. Jihoon said with certainty in his voice.