Dimensional Labyrinth — Part 1
A Forbidden Ritual?
I know what that is.
But why is it showing up already?
This was supposed to be an event that only appears in the personal questline of an SSR character from the Sun Mage Tower, a character who starts with the unique trait [Transcendence].
In other words, this ritual wasn’t supposed to happen for several years.
‘This is because of me.’
The butterfly effect.
My involvement caused the disciple of Elder Jo to get entangled in things, to be exiled from the Mage Tower, and to reclass as a Magic Warrior—leading to an entirely different chain of events.
“A forbidden ritual, you say?”
I asked, pretending not to know. The Tower Master scowled.
“There is such a thing. Hmph. I know exactly what that woman is thinking. We’re leaving immediately.”
The Tower Master raised his hand.
With a flash, an orange light enveloped everyone.
My vision brightened for a moment before returning to normal, but the next thing I felt was a sudden cooling sensation, as if my eyes were bathed in a refreshing blue.
It made sense.
Just moments ago, we had been standing inside the Sun Mage Tower. But now, we were hovering over an endless stretch of ocean.
Below us lay a single island.
An island adorned with lush green trees and sheer cliffs that seemed to harmonize perfectly with one another.
Ulleungdo.
As expected of the Tower Master.
He had crossed hundreds of kilometers in an instant, bringing along not just me, but Kim Mabeob, the elders, and several attendants—a group of dozens—via spatial teleportation.
“This is…”
“It has already begun.”
“We were just a little too late.”
The ocean was beautiful, and Ulleungdo looked like a painting.
Yet, a deep shadow had been cast over everything.
I tilted my head back and looked at the sky.
It was daytime.
The sun, which should have been blazing in the sky, was instead shrouded in thick black smoke.
The edges of the sun looked like they’d been bitten into, with charred black traces spreading inward.
A solar eclipse.
A phenomenon befitting the name of the sect responsible.
This wasn’t just a simple spell to obscure the light by manipulating mana.
They were absorbing the Sun’s mana to its very core.
If that were the extent of it, the ritual wouldn’t have been forbidden. But the real problem was that they weren’t only absorbing the Sun’s mana.
They were devouring the mana of the heavens, the earth, the sea—and even the mana of living beings.
The elders’ expressions grew dark.
“She’s gone through with the ritual after all…”
“She’s insane, isn’t she?”
“We must act quickly. Performing such a vile ritual in today’s world could spell the end of our Mage Tower.”
“The Ice Mage Tower must be laughing right about now.”
I wondered—had Elder Jo overcome the side effects of the Solar Eclipse Ritual?
In the game, there was a reason Elder Jo didn’t perform the ritual before developing [Transcendence].
Absorbing all the stray mana to ascend to Level 8 made mana outbursts inevitable, and even if one reached Level 8, they’d lose their sanity and transform into an abomination.
What use is becoming Level 8 if you end up as a monster, unable to enjoy your power or wealth?
“It’s that way.”
The Tower Master gestured downward.
Suspended in midair, we began to descend swiftly, cutting through the wind.
We landed at the center of Ulleungdo, in the Nari Basin.
Further inward, we spotted an ancient mansion standing in a place where, in the original world, wild thyme flowers would have bloomed in abundance.
The mansion was surrounded by walls that resembled castle ramparts.
Vrrrrmmm.
An overwhelming amount of mana was in the air.
It was being drawn from the Sun, from the Earth, from the atmosphere.
Crash, sploosh.
The sound of waves crashing against the shore, several kilometers away, echoed all the way here.
Faint whispers carried on the wind.
[The wind feels strange…]
[Is there a typhoon coming?]
[In winter?]
[Your voice sounds weird. It keeps echoing.]
[Yours too.]
[And what’s with the sky?]
[Should we call the police? My phone isn’t working.]
It truly was a matter of moments.
As soon as we arrived, the outside world had been cut off from the mansion by a transmission barrier.
Had we been a little later, even space itself might have been isolated. At that point, no one could have entered without specialized equipment.
“Tsk!”
The Tower Master clicked his tongue as he stared at the mansion.
“That damned woman. She’s been hiding quite the ace up her sleeve. What kind of mess has she created this time?”
“What do you mean?”
“To catch her, we’ll have to go inside. She’s set up a Dimensional Labyrinth. It means we’ll be wandering around for quite a while before we can even reach her.”
Clones back at the Mage Tower, now this labyrinth—it was all just a ploy to buy time.
Kim Mabeob asked the Tower Master a question.
“Can’t you just attack it from the outside with magic?”
“The labyrinth is too solid. Even my Sunfire wouldn’t work. You could rain down meteors on it, and it still wouldn’t collapse. The whole island could sink, and it would remain intact.”
“Wow… She must have spent an enormous amount of money. Was Elder Jo always this wealthy?”
“What else could it be but embezzlement? Where would those Solar Eclipse bastards get any money otherwise? Those damned scoundrels. Once this is over, I’ll make them pay.”
Everyone looked troubled.
One of the elders removed his belt and began levitating several magical gemstones in the air.
“Tower Master. For now, let’s focus on disrupting the ritual. If it’s a Dimensional Labyrinth, we’ll need to organize an exploration team. It’d be better to break through the labyrinth than to engage Elder Jo directly inside.”
“Elder Kim is right. There’s no need to barge in against prepared mages. Someone might die if we’re not careful.”
“I agree. That’s the most reasonable approach.”
But the Tower Master frowned.
“How long will it take to organize an exploration team? By the time we make an announcement through the Superhuman Union and get things rolling, the ritual will be complete. Just look at the Sun. A massive amount of mana has already been absorbed. It’ll be over in a day or two, at most.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
There seemed to be no alternative.
The elders’ gazes said as much.
The Tower Master crossed his arms and fell into deep thought.
I, too, hesitated.
Should I step forward here, or simply watch from the sidelines?
‘Let’s give it a shot.’
There was a chance of success.
If Elder Jo’s Dimensional Labyrinth was identical to the one from the game, and if the elders meant it when they said they wouldn’t directly engage Elder Jo…
‘I only have to break through the labyrinth.’
In the game, you end up fighting the bossified Elder Jo, but that’s something I absolutely have to avoid here.
I’m still Level 5.
There’s no way I can fight Elder Jo, who might already be at Level 7—or even Level 8.
“I’ll go in.”
“What? You?”
“Yes. Just provide me with the necessary equipment and supplies, and I’ll go inside and dismantle the labyrinth.”
“That’s far too dangerous.”
“Well, as far as I know, there are at least ten thousand people living on Ulleungdo. Isn’t it better than letting all of them die?”
Should I be honest?
I don’t care whether those people live or die. Even if the number were higher, it wouldn’t change a thing.
I have enough on my plate just keeping myself alive.
I’m aiming for one thing and one thing only: the rewards.
That’s the only way I can survive in this chaotic world and endure the storm of episodes that lies ahead.
“If it’s the Black Tiger Swordmaster, we can trust him.”
“A Level 5 Warrior should suffice.”
“No matter how powerful Elder Jo or the Solar Eclipse Sect may be, there are limits to how robust a Dimensional Labyrinth built in secret can be.”
“If we—or the Tower Master—were to go in, the entire labyrinth would react. But if it’s just a Level 5 Warrior? Then only the standard defense mechanisms will activate.”
That’s why they had suggested sending an exploration team.
The ideal approach to a Dimensional Labyrinth is to deploy a superhuman with a level neither too high nor too low.
After much deliberation, the Tower Master nodded.
“Very well! It seems we owe you another favor. I’ll leave it to you. Once you’re inside, just set up a few heavy-duty magical devices here and there. Place them at regular intervals, and that’s it. That’ll allow me to enter without interference.”
“You can count on me.”
“I’ll make sure you’re handsomely rewarded. Oh, take these as well.”
The Tower Master handed me several magical dice and a single ring.
The magical dice were none other than Dimensional Heavy Artillery, and the ring…
“A Grand Escape Ring, my friend.”
“Grand Escape? Isn’t this thing ridiculously expensive?”
“It may be expensive, but it’s far less valuable than your life. Use it immediately if you’re in danger. It will teleport you directly to the Tower Master’s chamber in the Sun Mage Tower.”
The elders’ eyes lit up with astonishment.
All magical equipment is valuable, but those related to space and time are particularly rare and costly.
The Grand Escape, which is essentially a second life, is especially prized.
It has no time limit and can be used from anywhere.
Even within restricted areas, Dimensional Labyrinths, Great Labyrinths, or massive rifts—it doesn’t matter.
“You’ll need to wait a month before you can use it again after activating it. Don’t hesitate to use it if things get risky. I can’t have the future Security Director of the Sun Tower dying here.”
“I told you, I’ll win and make my wish.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll hold you to that.”
I removed my mana storage ring and slipped on the Grand Escape Ring.
Why not just wear them all, you ask? I have ten fingers, after all.
It’s not that simple.
If you accidentally inject mana into the wrong ring, it could trigger multiple effects at once.
As I turned toward the mansion, Kim Mabeob suddenly chimed in.
“I’ll come with you.”
“Huh? You, Mr. Kim Mabeob?”
“Yes. Sending you in alone is too dangerous. Right, Grandpa?”
Kim Mabeob waved both hands.
On one hand was a Grand Escape Ring. On the other was a ring of unknown function, likely a defensive one—especially considering he was showing it off in front of the Tower Master.
“Be careful, then. Don’t forget to activate the Grand Escape Ring the moment anything goes wrong.”
Although it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for the Tower Master to refuse, he willingly allowed Kim Mabeob to join me.
And honestly, that was the right decision.
Had the Tower Master coddled his descendants too much, keeping them in his pocket at all times, his family wouldn’t have maintained control over the Sun Mage Tower for so long.
The other mages didn’t join us—they didn’t have their own Grand Escape Rings.
So, in the end, it was just the two of us: Kim Mabeob and me. If we ran into Elder Jo, we were the only ones equipped to escape.
“Be careful.”
With a final warning, the Tower Master made a slashing gesture in the air.
Vrrrmmm.
The space split open.
A swirling blue dimensional gate appeared, revealing a faint, ash-colored world beyond.
Gripping the Black Tiger Sword, I stepped forward.
“Let’s go.”
“W-wait! Hold on a second! I need to mentally prepare myself…”
“There’s no time.”
We crossed through the dimensional gate.
For a moment, a dizzying sensation brushed across my forehead.
I regained my composure and surveyed the area.
The air was thick and dry, stabbing into my lungs like needles.
It was saturated with fire-elemental mana, as dense as what you’d find in an Area of Contamination.
For ordinary people, the sheer density would cause spontaneous combustion, leaving nothing but ash.
“Ugh! What the hell is this?”
Kim Mabeob followed in after me, recoiling in horror.
It was understandable.
The fire-elemental mana aside, the surroundings were utterly grotesque.
The ground was covered in crumbling gray ash.
The sky was pitch-black, pierced by strange beams of light.
And all around us were walls of ash-gray—grim, oppressive barriers that seemed to trap us.
The walls looked like they were made from countless human bodies, layered upon each other after being reduced to ash. They were grotesque, horrifying, and utterly bizarre.
“Ugh, this is disgusting.”
“That Elder Jo… she’s completely deranged, isn’t she?”
“Most of the Solar Eclipse Sect are like that. They were originally a black magic sect. These days, they’ve rebranded themselves as orthodox mages, but you can’t escape your roots.”
“Yeah, I figured as much. Oh, watch out.”
Thunk!
I thrust the Black Tiger Sword forward.
I didn’t even bother using a flash technique or employing the Tiger King Sword Technique—it was a straightforward attack.
The Black Tiger Sword grazed Kim Mabeob’s side and embedded itself into the wall.
“Grrraaaah!”
A monster, just emerging from the wall, let out a shriek.
The blade had pierced its left eye, which glowed brightly in my Bright Eyes vision.
I felt it through my fingertips—the distinct hard, smooth texture of its mana core.
“Wh-whoa! Huh?!”
Kim Mabeob jumped in surprise, belatedly realizing what had happened.
“You scared the hell out of me!”
“If we were even a little later, that thing would’ve bitten you, Mr. Kim Mabeob.”
“Ugh…”
“Stay behind me. And whatever you do, don’t touch the walls.”
I swung the Black Tiger Sword and activated the [Extraction] trait.
The mana core popped out, as if skewered.
Judging by its size, it was a Level 5 mana core.
If dozens of these things swarmed me at once, even I’d have a hard time. But there are ways to deal with it.
[Sixth Sense] [Sensitivity] [Bright Eyes]
[Insight] [Detection] [Sensitive Skin]
My entire trait window was filled with sensory-type traits.
Thwack! Thwack-thwack!
On top of that, I was already familiar with the terrain.
This was the exact Dimensional Labyrinth I’d seen in the game.
Even though I never pulled the SSR character from the Sun Mage Tower, this dungeon wasn’t limited to just personal quests.
The exploration team the elders mentioned?
That was probably represented as a side quest in the game.
“Wow, you can see all this? I can’t make sense of anything.”
“You’ll get the hang of it if you keep looking.”
“That’s amazing… Uh, by the way, Black Tiger Swordmaster, have you gotten shorter? You used to be much taller than me.”
“It’s part of my ability.”
“Oh, I see. I guess if some people can grow to giant size, others can shrink and grow at will.”
Hunting the Spectral Beings was easy.
All I had to do was stab them with the Black Tiger Sword.
Even without any flashy abilities, the Black Tiger Sword had the highest attack power in all of Arcane Seoul.
Since I was only aiming for the mana cores—their weak spots—every strike landed a critical hit, killing them instantly.
[Sixth Sense] [Sensitivity] [Treasure Hunter]
[Insight] [Detection] [Swordsmanship Expert]
I switched my traits entirely.
Since the mana core was also the weak point, all I had to do was locate it and drive the sword into it.
“Hmm…”
That’s when I felt something unfamiliar approaching.
I stopped walking and scanned my surroundings.
The Spectral Beings embedded in the walls had crimson cross-shaped patterns scattered across their bodies.
Not that they were physically marked that way—this was simply how it appeared to me.
Acquired the trait: [Weakness Detection].
This wasn’t just a visual effect.
Attacking those marked areas would now trigger actual bonus damage.
‘I’ll need [X-Ray Vision] next.’
I had to prepare for the possibility of encountering Elder Jo.
If I acquired [X-Ray Vision] and combined it with the advanced trait [Bright Eyes], I’d have a way to handle her.
At the very least, I wouldn’t be caught off guard by a sneak attack.
“This looks like a good spot to set up the heavy artillery.”
“Here? But there’s nothing here. You’re supposed to place heavy artillery at leyline points for maximum efficiency.”
“Do you know where the leyline points are?”
“Uh… no, I don’t. I’m not a mage.”
This was definitely the leyline point.
Kim Mabeob couldn’t see it, but it was visible to me.
The mana flow of the Dimensional Labyrinth was subtly concentrated here.
To the untrained eye, it was just a narrow gap between two ordinary walls.
I shoved a magical die into the crevice.
Whirrrrr.
The magical die shimmered, then transformed into a gem-like radiance before disappearing.
The sight was almost like stardust scattering in the air.
Kim Mabeob, startled, turned to me.
“So this was a leyline point? How did you figure that out?”
“Instinct.”
“Black Tiger Swordmaster, you’re on another level. I can see why Grandpa thinks so highly of you. Other warriors couldn’t pull this off, could they?”
“Well, I do have some talent.”
“Hahaha, I completely agree.”
The exploration proceeded smoothly.
Every Spectral Being that appeared became food for the Black Tiger Sword.
By now, my golf bag was packed with Level 5 mana cores.
This alone was turning into quite the lucrative side gig.
But I couldn’t let my guard down.
I was about halfway through setting up the magical dice when Elder Jo’s shadow descended before us.
–TL Notes–
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