Ensemble Leveling

Chapter 41: Divided We Fall

“We need to hurry, now!”. Jihoon said as he drags his tired body to keep moving after performing that Advanced-class Magic, still maintaining that obsession of his no matter what. It is easy to forget that he still has that self-inflicted injury done by said obsession before, yet he still runs as if having no concern.

As Jihoon stumbled forward, each step fueled by sheer will, Legolas drew his Storm Shooter with a sharp inhale, steadying himself before he unleashed the full potential of the Heroic weapon.

______-----{////\\\\}-----______

Storm Shooter

Classification: Bow

Rarity: Heroic

ATK+: 96

Description:

A bow of unmatched craftsmanship, forged from the rare wood

of sacred elven groves and synthetic materials designed to channel

and amplify wind-based magic.

The Storm Shooter is capable of drawing wind energy directly

into its form, infusing into each arrow with concentrated force.

At full power, it’s capable of firing bolts of compressed wind

with such precision and speed that each shot leaves a scar in the air

—a blur of emerald destruction. When wielded by an expert,

the Storm Shooter transforms into a tempest, allowing

a stream of arrows to become an unbroken line of defense.

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

The air around them thickened as Legolas infused his wind magic into the bow, channeling a surge of energy that formed grass-green arrows with a translucent, shimmering edge. With each draw, he released a concentrated burst of wind that tore through the sentinel constructs swarming their path. The first shot hit with thunderous impact, tearing through several sentinels in a straight line, shattering them upon contact. Jihoon briefly marveled at the sheer power and precision displayed.

But what then struck Jihoon was the impossible speed at which Legolas then fired. His arm became a blur, the bowstring snapping back with inhuman speed, each shot perfectly aimed as bolts of wind blasted through their enemies in a ceaseless stream. Like watching a machine gun unleash its fury but powered by nature’s raw force, each arrow unleashed is a miniature hurricane in making. All the lesser sentinels fell in droves, unable to advance as Legolas kept them at bay, his face set with unwavering focus.

In seconds, they cleared enough of the path to surge forward, but Jihoon could feel the lingering presence of the Thanatos looming behind them.

Legolas proceeded to use his Storm Shooter for the entirety of the duration in which the 4 of them traverse the dirt trail as fast as they could. Using Windborne Speed, the team’s overall movement speed increased immensely as the entire length of the trail about that of a marathon was accomplished in… 1 minutes which the Thanatos will take 2 and a half minutes assuming previous consistent speed.

However, doing so for multiple people and maintain it is similarly taxing like it did to Fenrir as despite never showing it, Legolas’s hardened expressions hide all of it due to his profession as a commando. Once they arrived at the transition point to the mountain path once more, Legolas lifted away the Windborne Speed, knowing that this will be an immensely difficult section which speed without sufficient dexterity will do more harm than otherwise.

Much similar to the transition point between urban road and dirt trail where they fought the Hydra boss sentinel, they expected another one to come. But since the path is somewhat clear, they decided to proceed without looking back. In hindsight, the deafening silence should have tipped off that something wasn’t right.

As they pushed up the winding mountain path, each of them felt the pressure mounting. The endless twists and turns forced them to move slowly, winding up only small increments with each section. The jagged cliff faces, and tight curves restricted their visibility, making it impossible to gauge how much progress they’d made. The higher they climbed, the more their sense of vulnerability grew. The height barely seemed to increase, even as the effort wore on each of them.

The sheer incline made each step feel like a monumental task, and the looming sense of dread only intensified with every switchback that slowed their progress. Each of them felt the weight of time bearing down as the winding trail seemed to stretch on indefinitely, their pace barely eating away at the mountain’s height.

Just as they turned a particularly sharp corner, Fenrir’s ears twitched, picking up a low, vibrating hum from below.

“What… is that?” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. But as she looked back, her eyes widened in shock.

At the foot of the mountain path, the Thanatos sentinel construct appeared, its massive form casting an ominous shadow across the trail below. Just pausing a bit as if to look upon the entirety of the mountain and where they were, it began to levitate upward, ignoring the restrictive terrain entirely. Though its ascent was slower than its previous ground speed, it still loomed closer, unimpeded by the need to navigate the winding trail.

Their escape had relied on the twisting route to buy them time, but the Thanatos’s ability to ascend without restriction shattered their strategy entirely. Jihoon’s gaze stayed fixed on it, feeling the relentless menace of its approach.

“There’s no way to outrun it like this,” Jihoon said grimly.

Each step forward felt increasingly futile, the weight of the Thanatos bearing down on them, closing the gap with frightening inevitability. The narrow, winding trail suddenly felt like a trap rather than an escape route. When they had the luxury of time, and that there’s nothing stronger than them present, this whole winding mountain path had never presented a real challenge other than its terrain until now.

But with the Thanatos, the disadvantage that they disregarded came to bite them back really badly. Making little to no progress while the Thanatos just outright skip all the obstacles that impede them. Unlike the downward return, the climb is the most tortuous as one can imagine with time running thin even on seconds.

Jihoon, feeling the weight of time pressing down on them, had an idea as he used [Observant] on Zorn.

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Steelpress Dwarf Regiment Juggernaut

Name: Zorn ‘Steelpress’ Ironwool

Level: 2??

Class: Juggernaut

Race: Dwarf

+Physical Attributes:

-STR: 3??

-END: 3??

-AGI: 189

-DEX: 2??

+Non-physical Attributes:

-INT: 6

-CHA: 10

-MAG: 2??

+Weapons:

-Juggernaut Armor [Heroic]

-Vulcan Rotary Cannon [Mortal]

+Active Skill:

-Earth Magic (Expert)

|Stone Form (Expert)

Enhances own physical body, hardening own skin to stone-like durability,

increasing both his defense and strength for a limited time.

|Seismic Barrage (Expert)

Channels strength into a series of destructive strikes, creating tremors

and breaking apart the ground beneath his enemies. Can alter terrain

forcefully.

|Earthquake Stomp (Advanced)

Stomps the ground with immense force, sending shockwaves

through the terrain, disorienting and destabilizing enemies nearby.

|Rockslide Shield (Advanced)

Summons a barrier of earth around self, absorbing damage and deflecting projectiles.

|Crushing Force (Advanced)

Amplifies own STR to overpower enemies with devastating melee strikes,

often shattering armor or defenses in a single blow.

+Passive Skill:

-Heart of Mountain (Unique Racial Skill)

| Grants dwarves near-infinite endurance in battle and daily-life,

allowing them to continue fighting and moving without fatigue,

especially in long, drawn-out encounters.

This also makes dwarves highly resistant to environmental effects

such as harsh weather or unstable terrain.

-Mana Attunement (Expert)

-Steel Body (Innate):

Resilience is so high that basic physical attacks barely phase.

Own natural endurance amplifies one’s ability to shrug off damage.

-Iron Will (Innate):

Reduces the effects of mental and magical debuffs,

allowing oneself to fight on without distraction, even under heavy magical assault.

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

“What if you used your Earth Magic to cut through the mountain path—make a shortcut directly up? We’re not going to make it winding up like this.” Jihoon proposed his idea to Zorn.

For a moment, his suggestion hung in the air, and Fenrir, Legolas, and even Zorn stared at him, blank expressions mingling with subtle surprise.

Then, from the helicopter above, Rosa’s voice crackled through the intercom. “Jihoon… Dwarves, even with their natural affinity for earth, have an unspoken rule about using Earth Magic in mountains. It’s practically sacred—mountains are their homes and livelihood. Careless manipulation could cause catastrophic collapses, landslides… the kind of damage you can’t take back. The effects can easily spiral beyond control, even with the best intentions. Months gone into proper planning and consideration, and you can’t do the same in the fly!”

But before she could finish, Zorn moved without hesitation. “Enough talking,” he said firmly, his voice echoing off the stone walls as he positioned himself. “Our backs are to the wall. I’m not letting us fall here because of tradition.”

Jihoon glanced back at Zorn, and his expression was anything but uncertain. With the determined look of a soldier resigned to his duty, he gripped his weapon and nodded toward the path.

“I’m no fan of breaking rules, lad,” he said with a gruff resolve, “but if we don’t, we’re as good as buried anyway. We’ve got seconds before that thing’s on us.”

“Beside, this mountain isn’t my home”

Then, with grim determination, Zorn slammed his fists to the ground, calling forth his Expert-class Earth Magic - Seismic Barrage.

|G- B C C| D B D_D#~D#|

On one side, the force of darkness gathers in legions

With a deep, rumbling exhale, he planted his feet firmly, bracing himself. His hands pressed down into the ground, and a surge of power rippled through the earth, as if an ancient pulse was coming to life beneath them.

The ground below them rumbled, and in a flurry of earthen energy, platforms began to rise in staggered rows, forming a rough staircase straight up the mountain face. Each platform seemed to float momentarily before solidifying into a steady surface, forming a staircase that cut directly up through the jagged rock, skipping dozens of the trail’s winding twists and turns. The elevated pathway rose steadily, as if daring them to seize the moment.

|C_F G_G# G# G#| A+ F_G G#_G# G_G|

On the other side, an alliance sworn to keep their flame of truth alight

“Move, before I change my mind!” Zorn barked, not giving anyone time to argue. Jihoon, Fenrir, and Legolas wasted no time, leaping onto the platforms with the Thanatos drawing dangerously close.

With each step they took, Zorn reinforced the stone beneath them, creating a direct path that cut through the mountain’s twists and turns. But even as he summoned the staircase, everyone was painfully aware of the rumbling that reverberated beneath their feet—the mountain shifting slightly and groaned in response, like a beast awakening.

|G G# G# G#|G F G#_G# G_G|

Their numbers are few, but their courage is great…

With a sense of urgency driving them, the four competitors moved in sync across the earth-crafted platforms Zorn created. Each step took them higher, a straight ascent through the mountain’s rugged face, bypassing the winding trail entirely. The rough staircase slash their journey to the summit in half, putting precious distance between them and the Thanatos, which loomed ominously below.

But with every platform Zorn conjured, the mountain shuddered violently, its structure destabilizing. Chunks of rock broke away, crashing down the slopes and gouging deep scars into the path below. The earth seemed to ripple and collapse beneath each platform the dwarf pulled up, destabilizing the mountain trail they’d left behind. As the stone gave way, boulders and entire sections of the original trail crumbled and fell in a growing cascade of destruction.

|G~ F#~| D# D# C B_B~~|

Their enemies are beyond number, but their bond is unbreakable.

Jihoon, Fenrir, and Legolas exchanged grim glances, watching the collapse they’d left in their wake. It was impossible not to see the devastation their path was wreaking, a monstrous scar tearing apart the mountainside. The damage was irreparable, and as they kept climbing, it became clear that there would be no further laps after this—the mountain itself was being destroyed bit by bit. There is no way forward or back for there is no mountain path left to go.

The height they gained came at a high cost, but none of them had the luxury of hesitating. Each time Zorn slammed his hands down, calling upon Seismic Barrage to lift the next section, they braced themselves for another tremor as rocks continued to fall, taking what was left of the original path with them.

“Keep moving!” Zorn shouted, gritting his teeth as he forced the next platform into place. “If we stop now, we’re finished!”

|G- B C_C D| G-_B D_D# C~~|

In a desperate conflict with a ruthless enemy

As they ascended, the mountain seemed to cry out in agony, each new quake like the tolling of a bell. The reality of their impact settled heavy over them, yet the Thanatos continued its relentless pursuit, growing nearer with each moment. They were locked in a race not just against the Thanatos, but against the mountain’s own collapse, knowing that this ascent would likely be their last.

Entire sections of the original trail fractured and crumbled down the mountainside, obliterating the once-winding path they’d navigated on the first laps. Boulders tumbled, carrying debris into the chasms below, and the once-familiar terrain twisted and folded in on itself, ravaged by the very power that had given them this path. The mountain, torn and broken, no longer bore any resemblance to its previous form.

|C_F G_G# G# G#| A+ F_G G#_G# A+_G|

The hardest challenge is to find honor in victory

Above, the summit loomed closer, but so did the sounds of rock breaking and sliding beneath them, an ominous reminder of the mountain’s irreversible destruction. With each step, Zorn’s face hardened as he glanced back only once, watching the mountain trail collapse under the strain.

The group made their final push toward the peak, each step carried by the raw determination that fueled them up the fractured mountainside. Every heartbeat seemed to echo in the silence, each of them fully aware that this was a one-way route.

Every step made on the earth stairway, another step behind them fall into collapse. Zorn, nearly immune to exhaustion due to his Unique Racial Skill, Heart of the Mountain, continued to cast his Seismic Barrage, an Expert-level Earth Magic as though it were second nature. Any other race would have collapsed from mana exhaustion, yet Zorn only seemed to grow more focused, his mana reserves as though drawing from the very life heat of the mountain itself as he forced each step of the stairway into existence.

In a way, his tenacity was awe-inspiring to witness first-hand.

|G G# G G#_C+| A#+_G# G_G F_C~C|

The final battlefield is the human heart

|A#+ G#_G G_G A#+| G A_A~~ C_C~C|

Where duty must fight with love

At last, they reached the mountain peak, each of them barely catching their breath as their hands grazed the cool metal of the destination flag. A sense of victory surged between them, relief almost tangible after the relentless push upward. They had made it—each one of them still standing, a feat that alone seemed surreal in light of the chaos they’d endured.

Then, after the momentary triumphant relief, a massive figure unfurled before them from the dense clouds overhead. Emerged the unmistakable shape of the Ocypete, the final sentinel boss of the trial.

Standing before them was the reconstruction of a long-past myth of Absence—a harpy unlike any other, called Ocypete. She was depicted as an adult woman with a hauntingly powerful aura, her wings stretching out in massive arcs that as though nearly spanned the peak itself.

With a wingspan that stretched impossibly wide, close to that of an aircraft. Her form exuded unmatched speed and power, as if the air itself bristled in anticipation of her movement. Then with a single beat of her immense wings, the air erupted around them, nearly sweeping all four combatants off the edge of the peak.

The original mountain path, now utterly destroyed, left them with no visible route back. There was no escape, only the impossible task of facing down Ocypete. As the harpy construct circled above them with ominous grace, each member of the group tightened their stance.

With no other option, they braced for a battle they hadn’t planned on, the taste of triumph tainted with a challenge that demanded more than they had left to give.

The Thanatos that still pursue them have to slowdown by like 1/3 of its original speed during flight mode. And with the group having ascent to the mountain peak in 2 minutes, the Thanatos will have to take 5 minutes to reach them with the given speed displayed. Yet with the amount of time given, it is still going to be an uphill battle with utterly strict time limit that almost no one here is prepared for.

Naturally, Jihoon has to use [Observant] to know his enemy.

______-----{////\\\\}-----______

Sentinel Construct Model 99 – Ocypete

Name: *none*

Level: 4??

Race: Non-sentient Mechanical Construct

+Physical Attributes:

-STR: 4??

-END: 3??

-AGI: 8??

-DEX: 4??

+Non-physical Attributes:

-INT: NAN

-CHA: NAN

-MAG: 3??

-Active Skill:

+Wind Magic [Imitation] (Expert)

|Gale’s Requiem (Expert):

Releases a powerful, wide-area gust of cutting winds with each flap

of its wings, capable of knocking enemies back and inflicting constant bleeding.

|Whirlwind Wingbeat (Expert):

With a single beat of its wings, Ocypete can generate a localized hurricane,

creating immense air pressure that disrupts the terrain and disorients enemies.

|Feather Barrage (Advanced):

Launches wind-imbued feathers at bullet speed in all directions, effectively

creating a storm of projectiles that can puncture through most defenses.

|Harpy’s Scream (Advanced):

Unleashes a piercing, high-frequency screech that disorients enemies,

causing temporary dizziness and impairing their reaction times.

|Tempest Dance (Intermediate):

Executes high-speed aerial maneuvers with precision,

allowing evasion of most projectiles and physical attacks while preparing counterstrikes.

-Description:

The Ocypete sentinel draws inspiration from one of Absence's most revered myths,

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

recreating the legendary Harpy known for her unmatched aerial prowess and untouchable speed.

Designed with meticulous attention to agility and reflexes, Ocypete’s wingspan

stretches wider than any of her kind, giving her both unparalleled reach and terrifying momentum.

With each movement, her wings create powerful, cutting gusts that

leave deep scars on the ground, embodying the relentless spirit of Absence’s skies.

------_____{\\\\////}_____------

The Ocypete wasted no time, immediately launching into a flurry of Feather Barrage, filling the air with bullet-speed, wind-imbued feathers that tore through the atmosphere. Instinctively, Zorn threw up his Advanced-class Earth Magic - Rockslide Shield, a thick barrier of earth that solidified just in time to protect them from the onslaught. The feathers struck the rocky shield with deadly precision, chipping at it but ultimately failing to penetrate through.

As soon as the barrage ceased, the group counterattacked. Zorn, already straining from the disadvantage of facing an aerial opponent, used his Vulcan Rotary Cannon to open fire. The weapon’s rounds peppered the sky, forming a wall of bullets to drive Ocypete into evasion. Beside him, Legolas pulled his Storm Shooter with rapid succession, unleashing bolt after bolt of wind-charged arrows that screamed as they sliced through the air toward the sentinel. Fenrir, using her Ice Magic, hurled massive icicles at breakneck speed, creating a deadly dance of projectiles in the sky.

Each shot was swift and precise, but Ocypete maneuvered through the barrage with terrifying fluidity, its Tempest Dance allowing it to avoid most of the assault with ease.

To Jihoon, this was reenactment of history, evoking the sheer desperation in which anti-air efforts of the past had, when ground forces could only rely on sheer firepower and timing to bring down aerial threats. When ground troops aimed everything they had at the aircraft above, with the advanced airpower just out of reach, evading their shots and retaliating with precision. One could only imagine what it felt like when a Harpy goes to any war.

And here, they were caught in a brutal dance of death, where Ocypete held the high ground and the sheer advantage of air superiority, weaving through their every attempt to strike back. It was going to take everything they had just to hold their ground against it—and they had only minutes to bring this relentless sentinel down before Thanatos arrived.

Knowing that he has no time, Jihoon spurred into action. Resummoning the magic circle of Golden Hour again as weapons of incandescent luminance made manifested by his command and plunge into the ground forming into formation. Once again with the enlightenment of Advanced-class Magic before, Jihoon drawn the same inspiration that turned his Intermediate-class Light Magic – Gleaming Daybreak into Advanced-class Magic – Seven Color Swords.

Casting Novice-class Light Magic – Piercing Glare, what makes it stand differently than Dawn’s Edge, is that it took shape of the spear, like the penetrating gaze upon looking directly at the sun. With the imagery, method and personal meaning decided to form its current state which looked more of a sharpened rod than actual spear.

Then with the synthesis of all of its aspects, turning the imagery into method and meaning. Meaning into method and imagery. Method into meaning and image. The Piercing Glare transformed once more into Intermediate-class Light Magic – Radiant Onslaught. Its form is now much more defined, looking like an actual weapon of war that combatants use.

The following step is the connection of self to the spell. Similar to the enlightenment of Seven Color Swords.

Jihoon’s mind raced as he established the connection with Radiant Onslaught, channeling his deep-seated resolve into every fiber of the spell. He had come to understand that this step—the connection—was the bridge between his intention and the spell’s potential, a vital moment that gave it life and purpose beyond mere power.

Why a spear? he asked himself, feeling the weight of his decision. He realized that, for him, a spear symbolized precision, focus, and a path that cut through the clouds of self-doubt, similar to the imagery of the sun shining through ominous dark cloud. This was a weapon to pierce through not just enemies but limitations, a tool to go beyond mere survival, reaching instead for liberation—from self, from restraint, from weakness.

To him, the spear embodied his promise to keep fighting, pushing through whatever obstacles lay in his way, regardless of cost.

An echo of his struggle, his promises, and his will. Advanced-class Magic wasn’t just about manifesting a spell. It was about transcending it—imbuing it with fragments, component of self. His life had always been about rising through hardship, each challenge ultimately molding him into a sharper, stronger form.

Now, each spearhead was a facet of his identity, brought forth as weaponized light: his resilience, his ambitions, his camaraderie, his despair, his convictions, and, most of all, his resolve.

He recalled how he first started the Hunter career in his world. Starting as a lowly F-rank much similar to everyone else. A Dungeon Gate went awry which become inescapable until clear. Him reunited with his old friend Jin, and eventually learning the ugly truth of what had become of him. The final confrontation within that ruined courthouse in a Dungeon gone more dangerous and ending his own friend’s life with his own act.

That was just the beginning of his journey, Absence has presented itself as a challenge unique to its own in which the difficulty of promise with Alvorna went beyond evaluation of the System itself. Yet, he is still here, upholding all of it even if there’s nothing to be gained by doing so.

Jihoon focused, channeling his own obsessions, amplifying his strength as his fingers tightened around the spear’s radiant shaft. The energies pulsed with controlled fury, the weapon humming as he pulled it back. With a fierce throw, he unleashed the full force of his power behind it, physical and spiritual combined. Midflight, the spear splintered into 6 different spears, each shard glowing with a different color, like the prismatic dispersion of light through glass.

Each fragment bears a unique spearhead, each a different shade, streaking through the air with vibrant intensity. It was as if the sky itself had been torn open, like a flak shell fragmenting in perfect timing, they spread out, creating a magnificent fan of colored spears that screamed across the sky toward Ocypete. Each spear held a different spearhead—razor-edged, hooked, spiked—designed to cover a wider range, each one a relentless messenger of his will.

Advanced-class Light Magic – Rainbow Six Shades.

Recognizing each color as a piece of his past, each shade a testament to his resolve.

The multitude of colors refracted against the clouds and mountainside, casting a surreal rainbow light on the battlefield, even as the relentless sentinel faced down the brilliant onslaught. When the ‘dust’ is cleared however, the Ocypete doesn’t show itself to have been affected too greatly by Jihoon’s Rainbow Six Shades. The one thing that is changed however, is that he managed to piss it off again.

Immediately, the Ocypete’s Harpy’s Scream erupted through the battlefield, splitting the air with a high-frequency wail that drilled painfully into everyone’s ears and seemed to pierce directly into their minds. The atmosphere itself seemed to ripple under the power of the scream, distorting the air and stirring the dust around them in dizzying, swirling eddies.

Jihoon clapped his hands over his ears, trying to steady his senses against the unbearable assault, while Legolas gritted his teeth and staggered to maintain his footing. But Fenrir, with her beastlike hearing amplified by her Wolf Beastfolk instincts, bore the brunt of the attack. Her enhanced sensory perception, usually an invaluable asset, now turned against her. She stumbled, clutching her head in agony as her legs wavered under the relentless screech.

Jihoon, stumped, racked his mind, trying to think of anything that might shield her, but before he could act, Zorn had already moved. In a display of raw, unwavering loyalty, he reached up, pulling the Juggernaut Armor’s heavy helm from his head. Without hesitation, he placed it over Fenrir’s, shielding her sensitive ears with the helm’s protection against virtually anything. His unprotected ears now rang with the agonizing pitch in her place, but he bore it without a sound, bracing himself with a grit that could only come from years of enduring hardship.

When the screech finally ceased after what felt like eternity, they were left gasping, feeling a reprieve that seemed to last no more than a heartbeat. But the Ocypete was far from finished. Its wings spread wide, feathers shimmering ominously as it prepared another spell. The air pressure dropped, and the silence that fell was thick with foreboding.

With a single, powerful flap, the Ocypete summoned a vortex of gale-force winds that spun into a violent, destructive storm around them. Gale’s Requiem, an Expert-class Wind Magic spell, had been unleashed. The raging winds formed into countless sharp, whirling gusts, slicing through the air like a deadly chorus.

Seeing the situation change for the worse, Zorn moved by his duty as he used his Earth Magic to use Rockslide Shield again but Expert-class spell potency threatens to shatter apart an Advanced-class defensive spell with ease. Quickly using the little time given, Zorn used his Earth Magic to create a trench in the ground for shelter. When all else fails, return to the earth for it is the safest haven.

Soon, the Rockslide Shield that Zorn conjured collapsed against the sheer amount of cutting gale it is forced to endure. But by then, he has already created a makeshift bunker for immediate defense. But time isn’t on their side, and the tactic of keep firing blindly in the air for Ocypete to keep evading isn’t going to work with Thanatos just two minutes before approaching them.

Jihoon recognized the adversity that Zorn and Legolas discussed. People in his world did go through that phase of undisputed aerial superiority in warfare until much later when an effective measure was devised to counteract. The same probably did apply for Absence for there is testimony of how Unfettered Flight of the Harpies essentially can only be imitated at best by non-Harpies.

"The Harpies are the existence closest to the heaven, for their unfettered freedom over the sky"

So, Jihoon falls into his contemplation yet again, he felt like he is getting closer to a solution, yet it felt infinitely distant no matter what he does. He is missing something obvious until he recalls history a bit more. Then, he remembered there is still another spell of his has yet to be elevated to Advanced-class.

Novice-class Light Magic – Ardor of the Sun

Manifested in his hand is a rope of incandescent color and glow, with the imagery of the sun’s corona that it built upon. But beyond this, it held a personal meaning particular to Jihoon, reminding him of resilience and endurance—qualities that endured under the light of the sun, shining steadfast through the darkest moments of life.

His old friend Jin Sarae was the testament of this spell. He recalled the dusk when Jin died. Ever so peaceful after so much time in torturing agony. To Jihoon, that pain of his death passed on to him as he must now live and survive for his sake. One of the original reasons he set out for Absence to begin with, and that to live carrying all that remained of his legacy.

With a sharp breath, Jihoon synthesized the magic further, blending each aspect together not as separate links in a chain, but as one interwoven entity. The strands of light twisted, braiding together, reinforcing one another as they transformed into a far more powerful creation.

Intermediate-class Light Magic – Prominence Brilliance

The rope was no longer a fragile tether but had become a thick cable of blinding brilliance, strong enough to restrain massive, powerful creatures without snapping under their strength. A dense coil of radiant light that could support tons, or lock down any force it entangled. But even as Prominence Brilliance glowed with unprecedented stability.

But he wasn’t finished. To counter an entity like Ocypete, Jihoon naturally needed more than sheer force—he needed some ingenuity, flexibility, and unity within the spell itself. Like his prior breakthroughs, he sought a connection with the magic, an understanding that merged his will with the light.

His friend, whose life had been consumed by pain and ruin and taken a path of damnation believing he had lost everything. Yet hesitant to continue that accursed route once he met Jihoon again, had left behind one pure, untarnished legacy—a worn and battered acoustic guitar, waiting for a return to a life that could never come. Jin’s death had been Jihoon’s burden to bear, a reminder of the cruelty of his world that it had become and his vow to use his power for those around him, for those who still had a chance.

As the strands of light began to shift again, they evolved from mere cables to an intricate loom, each thread weaving a delicate fabric that shimmered as if alive, a tapestry of color. The incandescent light splintered and refracted through the fabric, casting chromatic colors across the battlefield. It felt as though he was holding the Northern Lights themselves in his hand, a breathtaking display reminiscent of life’s most resilient beauty.

The aurora was the sun’s light refracted through nature’s protective veil, a cosmic wonder created from something as dangerous as a solar storm. Just as his world’s northern lights were forged in the aftermath of solar fury, so too was this spell forged from memories of Jin Sarae and what was once beautiful of his life.

Advanced-class Light Magic – Aurora Borealis.

Yet in the end, Jihoon couldn't totally loath him for he is as much a victim of what his world has become.

The Ocypete screeched, wings flaring as it readied its next attack. But Jihoon’s spell now held its own kind of fury, the manifestation of light’s resilience. But with the fragility of his foothold in Advanced-class Magic, he couldn’t utilize a lot of the spells’ true utility and usage. If he tried to toss this thing without meaningful effect, it would just immediately fall downward like a literal handkerchief.

And the Ocypete knew damn well that why should it descend to make itself vulnerable to attack when it could just bombard them from far above? It is a boring tactic, but it worked too well when it holds the aerial superiority firmly in grasp. Anyone in its role would have agreed the same.

So, Jihoon has to send this thing toward it. Immediately as it is now casting another Expert-class spell which required concentration. This is their only chance of landing a clear hit on it while they still can.

Casting Intermediate-class Light Magic – Radiant Onslaught, a spear of light manifested in his hand as he wraps the shimmering fabric around the socket section of the spear tightly to make sure it isn’t slipping during flight.

With unwavering resolve, Jihoon called upon the others, knowing that they each had their unique strengths to launch this single, decisive strike against the Ocypete.

"Legolas, I need you to guide this—use your precision to make sure it hits!" Jihoon shouted, urgency clear in his voice. Legolas, an expert with the bow, nodded sharply, steadying his gaze on the high-flying Ocypete even as it began to anticipate their attack.

“Fenrir, Zorn, if you have any mana to spare, send it my way for the boost,” Jihoon added. Without hesitation, Fenrir channeled her ice-infused aura around Jihoon’s hand, adding a chilling force that surged around the spear, while Zorn drew deeply on his reserves to brace it with the steadfast weight of earth. Though their elements opposed each other, their combined mana surged through Jihoon’s weapon, enhancing its raw potential power and velocity, each addition compensating for the fleeting grip Jihoon held on Advanced-class magic.

But the Ocypete, sharp-eyed and observant, sensed the mounting danger beneath. With calculated precision, it began casting Gale’s Requiem in advance, even before Jihoon could throw his spear. Though forced to release the spell prematurely, the high-speed gusts still tore through the air, a relentless barrage of slicing winds sent their way.

“Not a chance!” Legolas yelled, focusing his energy into Expert-class Wind Magic -Whirling Tempest. The commando elf countered wind with wind, unleashing a spiraling vortex that redirected the Ocypete’s cutting gales. The howling winds clashed mid-air, deflecting the deadly gusts just long enough to keep the path open for Jihoon’s strike.

With his target locked and the way clear, Jihoon gripped his spear of light, Radiant Onslaught, wrapped by the Aurora Borealis fabric bound tightly around its neck. Every ounce of his obsession-fueled strength and spirit coursed into his throw, and he let loose the spear like a reverse shooting star, rocketing upwards in a streak of dazzling light.

The spear cut through the sky, too fast for the Ocypete to dodge after casting its spell in haste. It struck the construct with a tremendous impact, the speared light and bound fabric entwining around it, catching the boss sentinel mid-air. An intense burst of chromatic light erupted on impact, casting spectral hues across the peak. Yet even with the direct hit, the Ocypete struggled, still aloft, battered but not yet beaten.

“Not enough…” Jihoon muttered under his breath, clenching his fists as they all watched the sentinel fight against the entangling magic of Aurora Borealis. The Ocypete’s thrashing grew desperate, each beat of its massive wings fighting to break free, the vibrant lights scattering around it as it strained the magic to its limits.

“But close…” He recorrected at the last moment.

Jihoon recast Golden Hour again as he weaponries of light plunge into the ground to reestablish the destroyed formation. Once finalized, a domain of light established with him right at dead center. Then numerous weapons of light all manifested and floating nearby him. Gleaming Daybreak and Radiant Onslaught, many of those greatswords and spears all arrayed like gun batteries prepared to unleash hell right at the Ocypete.

Of course, all the other 3 beside them failed to land a meaningful hit with their onslaught so what makes Jihoon different?

Jihoon fired them and recast in rhythm as if close to heartbeat. As each weapon hurtled toward the Ocypete, they splintered midflight, transforming into his Advanced-class creations—the Seven Color Swords and Rainbow Six Shades, the radiant hues dazzling against the clouds and the sky itself.

The Ocypete, agile and relentless, twisted and dove, dodging the onslaught of spears and swords with the grace of an apex predator using Tempest Dance. But Jihoon had anticipated its movements, timing each strike to push it into a corner. He locked his sight onto the evading construct, and as it banked to the side, the fired weapons veered off course.

Just when the Ocypete appeared victorious in its evasions, each evaded weapon arced and adjusted, recalibrating in mid-air as they pursued their target with unwavering intent. With an almost predatory will of their own, they adjusted their trajectory, following the Ocypete with relentless precision. The boss sentinel whipped around in confusion, realizing that no matter how it twisted or dived, the weapons trailed behind, homing in with relentless precision.

The Ocypete flapped its wings furiously, diving and spiraling to shake off the chromatic arsenal that pursued it. But the radiant weapons kept chasing after it, their paths twisting in the air like a serpent coiling around its prey. With each dodge, the Ocypete became increasingly frustrated, the vibrant blades gaining ground every time it attempted to turn. Eventually, all those fired blades merged together in a singular stream like a dragon made out of chromatic light coming alive.

Because actual Northern Light or Aurora Borealis, is a magnetic phenomenon in which take place and concentrated at the polar extremes of any planet with atmosphere.

Legolas, Fenrir, and Zorn looked on, stunned by the spectacle—a ceaseless wave of light, swords, and spears forming a brilliant, chromatic storm. The Ocypete let out a furious screech, realizing that it could no longer risk attacking the four of them below without falling victim to the following relentless assault, a death by thousand cuts. With a final defiant beat of its wings, the construct abandoned its attack entirely, taking flight away from the peak. All while the trail of luminescent weapons in relentless pursuit, like a rainbow dragon hunting its mark across the sky.

The battlefield finally fell quiet, the colorful streaks fading into the distance as the Ocypete’s retreat became a victory in its own right. Jihoon stood, breath heaving as he retracted his spell, the tension easing as he lowered his hands.

With traces of chromatic light shimmer in the distance as Jihoon let out a breath, his heart steadying. With each of those fired weapons homing onto the Ocypete, he’d taken advantage of a phenomenon as old as time.

The magnetic phenomenon that birthed auroras themselves. Aurora Borealis, in its natural form, was a magnetic phenomenon, a collision of solar particles channeled along the magnetic fields at the Earth’s poles, creating vibrant waves of light concentrated in the polar extremes. With his own Aurora Borealis spell, anyone struck by whatever brought with it became magnetically “tagged” to his mana, allowing each fired weapon to pursue them unerringly, guided by the fields of light that clung to his target.

“Chromatic Scales Devour the Heaven,” as he named it, a proud and slightly arrogant label for a technique that had saved their lives—and the race itself. The moment had been razor-close and had it failed, they’d have been left defenseless and disqualification ensued. But Jihoon’s gamble had paid off, forcing the Ocypete to abandon the fight entirely.

He turned to face the others, and what he saw was awe, plain and unmistakable.

Fenrir, whose own proficiency of Ice Magic commanded respect in her homeland of Solros Winter Wonderland, was speechless. She had seen the Aurora Borealis herself in the icy skies, had felt the enlightening calm it brought to her homeland. That sense of awe—of the world around whispering its secrets was how people of Absence unlocked the next levels of their Magic. But what she’d witnessed just now was something beyond description, an unexpected mastery, from someone who was technically still a newcomer here.

The commentators mostly putting on a show to rouse the audience, erupted in an animated frenzy, their voices full of disbelief and awe. “Did you all just see that?” one of them exclaimed. “That’s not something you see every century! Chromatic Scales Devour the Heaven—that’s what Jihoon has performed to turn the impossible into reality here!”

Back in Cicones’ entertainment district, Karim exhaled, a slight smile breaking through his stoic expression. Relief flooded him, as well as a stirring pride in Jihoon, who had shown resilience and brilliance far beyond what Karim had expected of him originally. A handful he maybe but when he put in effort, he goes far.

And Rosa, watching from her vantage point in the helicopter, was mesmerized, captivated by the brilliant colors and the power behind Jihoon’s Light Magic. She was silent beyond words as she started to subconsciously admire the man even if she put on a front of professionalism as expected of someone her position.

However, they soon broke out of their own captivation as they suddenly remembered why they fought just so desperately before. The Thanatos is closing quickly in just seconds away in which they lost track of time. And with the original mountain path gone, they don’t even know how to make their return. Yet Jihoon seems to somehow already have an answer as he looked at the edge in which was once the chunk of earth sliding down the mountain that he was on back at the first lap fighting the Griffon.

Then he turned toward Fenrir again, asking her one question.

“Do you know what is skiing and snowboarding?” Jihoon asked because Fenrir is the only Ice Magic and strongest one that he knew of in the immediate moment.

Fortunately, she nodded. Absence being a melting pot made out of all of his world’s cultures because it is still a world made with reflection of one. Placing his gamble on that bet, Jihoon’s educated guess paid off.

The four of them exchanged a single, determined glance before leaping off the edge of the mountain peak just as the ominous shadow of the Thanatos reached them, barely a few breaths away. In midair, they hastily readied their improvised rides.

Fenrir conjured a snowboard of solid ice under her feet, and as she hit the slope, her hands stretched outward as she unleashed an avalanche in front of her, creating a smooth, snow-packed path for them to slide down even if vertically steep. Jihoon, with little hesitation, summoned his Daybreak Gleam, the greatsword of light before letting it solidify under his feet like a shining snowboard.

Zorn and Legolas, quick to adapt, took the leap on a massive stone slab that Zorn conjured out of the ground, while Legolas used his wind magic to lightly propel and stabilize it, transforming it into a rugged sled. Angled just right as they touched down and the combined effort made their descent as smooth as it could be for such a dangerous plunge.

“Never thought I'd sled fighting side by side with an elf.”. Zorn said with a brief disbelief of his situation that is too unreal to be spoken out loud or written.

“How about sledding side-by-side with a friend?” Legolas replied with a smile toward Zorn as he focuses his concentration on the wind that propels the stone slab from just diving into the snow without resistance.

“Ay, I can do that…” Zorn said as he focused on the steering the makeshift sled from just slamming into unwanted obstacles.

Jihoon’s mind raced with exhilaration, recalling his rapid descent on the shifting chunk of earth during the first lap. But now, it was better planned—a controlled dive straight down the mountain. And in this moment, they were not four competitors but together as a team, each pulling their weight to ensure they stayed ahead of the looming Thanatos just overhead. Snow sprayed as they careened down the slope, their speed increasing with every second as they weaved through rocks and ridges with barely a moment to spare.

A small, triumphant smile broke across Jihoon’s face as he crouched lower, balancing on his light-crafted board. This was a leap into the unknown, yet something about it felt right—as if each of them, despite the odds and original animosity, was in perfect sync.