Chapter 280

Chapter 280

I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy.

Episode 280: Closing The Gate (3)

Becoming a Transcendent meant engraving one’s power onto the world.

Of course, this was no easy feat.

Perfecting one’s own power required immense dedication over countless years of training.

However, the heroes of Korea—no, to be precise, the heroes allied with Korea—had found alternative ways to ascend to transcendence.

This allowed Korea to establish itself as an equal counterpart to the United States, often referred to as the Hundred Temple.

Apart from that, various other factors came into play, but the gods of the Hundred Temple maintained a favorable stance toward Korea to produce Transcendents.

As a result, though none emerged from their side, ironically, since no Transcendent existed among them, Korea, having produced many, was able to stand on equal footing with them.

Regardless, amidst such a backdrop, Seo Ga-yeon sat quietly, breathing atop the Dragon Vein.

Following Lee Seo-ha, the next in line to transcend through the Dragon Vein was Seo Ga-yeon.

Although Kim Seo-hyun was also a candidate, she conceded to Seo Ga-yeon.

Lee Seo-ha had entered seclusion with her, but from the start, he had stated as much: Seo Ga-yeon would follow him.

If compared to others, Kim Seo-hyun’s turn would have come first, but Seo Ga-yeon, whose very existence was lethal to beings like the Mines, led her to agree without protest.

“What about me?”

Seo Ga-yeon wondered.

When Lee Seo-ha transcended, the world momentarily “froze.” A series of absurd events had unfolded.

The magic of the Dragon Vein had been drained to the point where the resulting chaos made that seem insignificant.

This led to monsters temporarily retreating into silence.

Heroes’ progress slowed for a brief moment.

And children born during that half-year period were slightly less gifted than others.

Nevertheless, Lee Seo-ha did his utmost to restore the magic of the Dragon Vein.

Other Transcendents gathered rare materials to aid the recovery, and whenever he had time, Lee Seo-ha poured tremendous blue magic into the Dragon Vein, allowing it to return to functionality within just half a year.

──That was half a year ago.

Time passed.

Six months had gone by since the chaos caused by the Vicious Abomination moving southward into Korea.

But the calamity from when Lee Seo-ha became a Transcendent remained vivid in Seo Ga-yeon’s mind, as if it had happened yesterday.

It left a profound impact on her as well.

“Seo-ha was truly remarkable.”

Seo Ga-yeon recalled the moment Lee Seo-ha first became a Transcendent.

That day was no different from any other.

News of a hero slaughtering Mines no longer made the front page.

Mines were being killed in droves. The Empire of Evil was collapsing, and what were once called the great evils were being crushed.

People were glad for their defeat, but they sought stories of hope more than death.

For instance, the news that someone had become a Transcendent.

While other nations focused on recovering from the damage inflicted by the Mines, Korea was abuzz with excitement.

It was because Lee Seo-ha was about to become the youngest Transcendent in history.

Seo Ga-yeon was inherently lethal to external entities, but Lee Seo-ha possessed power beyond that.

Thus, all the Transcendents unanimously agreed to elevate him to transcendence.

“He defeated the True Form of the Evil God despite it being at the highest rank. Even if it were the weakest Evil God or its strength had diminished… his achievement cannot be dismissed lightly.”

“His epithet is ‘Savior.’ The world must have judged his path as surpassing that of the Returnees.”

“Though it’s not necessarily something the Returnee aimed for… I admit he’s greater than they were.”

Thus, Lee Seo-ha became the first.

A Transcendent.

Engraving oneself onto the world’s existence marked the beginning of humanity’s journey towards perfection.

Whether it was their soul or body.

Their unique abilities or even their mysteries.

The Overlord remembered the time they took on the challenge of transcendence.

On that day, strange phenomena occurred on Earth.

In the landmass known as China, the “Tower of Proof” emerged, and the Overlord, known by the epithet “Reversal of Radiance,” earned the title of Overlord.

For the Emperor, a “Sky Island” the size of half of Korea rose above the Pacific Ocean.

When the Fist Demon transcended, an underwater city surfaced from beneath the sea.

For the Thousand Sorcerer, a tower called the “Tower of Sorcery” appeared. For the Sword Saint, it was the “Tower of Swords,” and for Celestial, it was the “Tower of Eternity” that rose on Earth.

As if to celebrate their achievements, the world provided them with environments perfectly suited for their growth.

“What will you show us?”

Lee Seo-ha was unlike anyone they had encountered before.

He had been special from the very beginning.

Even Celestial and the Emperor could not fully comprehend Lee Seo-ha, and even their own senses struggled to assess him.

Naturally, his hatred for Mines and his dedication to completing tasks were admirable, as was his focus on personal growth even while utilizing the strength of others.

Others were also eager with anticipation.

When a tower rose, the first priority belonged to the Transcendent. After them, the order was determined by the Transcendent themselves.

By simply climbing these towers, they became more “complete.”

Their full potential grew further.

“If that happens, my Sky Island…”

The Emperor’s Sky Island.

It housed countless puppets she had gathered thus far. Bestowed with all sorts of enhancement magic, there were hundreds of thousands of them.

Although most were inefficient due to being handcrafted, each one could rival intermediate heroes, an astonishing feat.

While others focused on their own perfection, the Thousand Sorcerer and Celestial watched with eyes full of pure curiosity.

“What will emerge?”

When Lee Seo-ha challenged transcendence, what would manifest would be in the form he desired most.

Celestial and the Thousand Sorcerer were immensely curious.

And when Lee Seo-ha entered the Dragon Vein…

And achieved transcendence…

They saw it.

A pitch-black darkness covering the sky (Black Heaven).

“What the…!”

“I couldn’t sense anything…!”

It wasn’t even the blink of an eye.

Surpassing the perception of all the Transcendents present, Black Heaven emerged.

The entire sky turned jet black.

As if an all-consuming darkness had descended from above.

That darkness was dangerous. They instinctively felt it. It was as though it refused to permit anything other than itself, casting the entire sky into shadow.

The city’s night view was shrouded. Clouds were obscured. The sun was hidden.

Like paint spilled onto a canvas, it uncontrollably dyed the world.

It was as if declaring the end of the world. That blackness engulfed everything.

In the blink of an eye.

The darkness, which swallowed everything, finally seemed satisfied after veiling the world in shadow, standing aloof and majestic.

“…What kind of transcendence makes such a ruckus?”

The Overlord spoke with a hollow laugh.

“But it suits him.”

“Well, he’s always shocked us in ways like this.”

While the Emperor and the Overlord exchanged light conversation—

“…This is impossible.”

Celestial murmured.

His voice was filled with shock.

His epithet was Celestial.

It carried two meanings: one who peered into the secrets of the heavens, and one who saw a thousand things.

Thus, he had embedded his eyes throughout the world.

To kill any Mines that appeared. Or to gather critical information.

This was the source of the power that allowed Celestial to uncover the secrets of the world.

And so.

Celestial could see it.

That blackness emerging from every Dragon Vein around the globe, veiling the entire world.

The city’s night view was cloaked. In lands where the sun rose, it was concealed, and in countries under the moonlight, the moon was obscured.

──If one were to view Earth from space, they would see it entirely enveloped in jet-black darkness.

Such feats were beyond the capability of an ordinary Transcendent.

Seo Ga-yeon gazed at the blackened sky.

Intensely.

She felt her magic being powerfully drawn toward it, fundamentally seeking to merge with it.

‘This…’

That blackness would devour her magic.

Greedily, it would carve into her body, claiming her power.

At that moment, blue light sparkled, decorating the sky.

As if blue stars scattered across the cosmos were adorning Black Heaven.

The blue light absorbed all the magic.

And like stars that seemed never to fade, it illuminated the sky.

Rumble!

The Dragon Vein’s magic was entirely absorbed, and Black Heaven vanished.

A shining blue star illuminated Lee Seo-ha within the Dragon Vein, blessing her as it shattered, scattering blue powder everywhere.

[The distant power of the heavens has descended upon you.]

An echo resounded across the world.

Some claimed it was a god, said to have created creation itself.

Others believed it was the will of Earth, blessing the Transcendent.

[Master of the devouring blackness and the pure blue brilliance, I bestow upon you an epithet.]

His epithet resonated.

[You shall be known as the Abyssal Being Who Devours All—Black God.]