The brilliant platinum light shone resplendently. Yet, contrary to the splendid light, the transport route was eerily silent. The reason was clear.
The one who had been causing the commotion, “……”
Sargas, who had manifested, had come to a complete stop. He stood in silence, gazing at the platinum spear emitting a clear hum.
Humm.
Sargas, who had reached an age to be called an ancient dragon, a dragonkin who had even experienced the Dragon God War between the Dragon Emperors and the constellations long ago.
He had seen countless and varied weapons. Even to Sargas, ‘What… is that?’
The platinum spear floating in front of Kim Shimun was unfamiliar. But it wasn’t just because he didn’t recognize the weapon that he was frozen in place. Sargas’s gaze moved downward.
Sizzle.
Like a house burnt down to its frame, his pitch-blackened fist was emitting white steam.
‘It merely grazed me…’
Sargas recalled the situation just moments earlier. The explosive aura that accompanied its appearance. He, who had been wreaking havoc all around, thrust his fist forward without a moment’s hesitation.
In that brief instant, he twisted his fist following the warning from future sight.
So really, just barely, a mere spark had brushed against it. Yet his fist, which was on par with that of a top-rank dragonkin like a Drake, was in tatters. Sargas furrowed his brow.
‘Come to think of it, there was something odd about the way it grazed me.’
The altered attack trajectory. He had perfectly dodged it, making it impossible for even a graze.
‘It felt as if the lightning had followed me.’
Like a snake targeting its prey. The nearby streak of lightning seemed to have purposefully attacked.
‘To think my fist got wrecked by just one bolt of lightning…’
Just one bolt of lightning had turned his fist to shreds.
Moreover,
Crackle!
Even with his regenerative abilities significantly heightened due to his manifestation, the electric energy that burnt his fist was still crackling, stubbornly hindering regeneration.
‘Just one graze and it’s over.’
Therefore, there was no luxury to probe what ability that platinum spear possessed.
Gulp.
His massive adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
‘How long has it been since my life was truly in danger?’
A battle where a single mistake could lead to death. Amid the enormous tension and burden, ‘Stay calm. After all, I possess future sight given by Aphophis-nim.’
Sargas’s eyes calmed.
‘It looks like a variant of Astrape… I’ll just need to be more cautious in my evasion than before.’
No matter how extraordinary an attack is, if it doesn’t hit, it doesn’t matter. The principle that had earned him the nickname ‘Unbeatable’ had never once betrayed him. Therefore.
“Come, Kim Shimun!”
Sargas believed that the principle would hold true this time as well.
“Very well.”
From the platinum spear, a bolt of platinum lightning shot out.
Crackle!
In an instant, the platinum lightning flew towards him.
Humm.
Matching its approach, Sargas’s left eye emitted a deep brown glow.
But then, “What!”
Sargas was instantly filled with shock. He immediately pulled his body back, but it was too late.
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
A scream as colossal as his body echoed throughout the transport route. And for good reason.
Crackle!
The platinum lightning bolt struck and Sargas’s right arm disintegrated into ashes upon direct impact. But it wasn’t just that.
Sizzle!
The lightning that had obliterated his right arm began to spread from his shoulder to his right torso. The pain was enough to sear his very soul.
“No… this is impossible!”
But what drove Sargas to madness was something else entirely.
‘I definitely… definitely dodged it!’
The vivid glow of future sight. The initial path shown by future sight had targeted his heart. So he had decided to retreat his body completely.
‘How could the path not change!’
That horrifying platinum lightning had, like a rabid hunting dog, relentlessly altered its course to aim for his heart. Had he not sacrificed his right arm, he wouldn’t even have the luxury of astonishment right now.
Therefore, “This cannot happen! This is impossible!!”
Sargas could not contain his disbelief.
“Changing the future! Do you think you are some kind of god?!”
He roared in a furious bellow. At that.
“I’m not changing the future.”
Holding the platinum spear, Kim Shimun replied as he quietly watched Sargas.
“It was predetermined from the start.”
“… What?”
Sargas looked at him with an expression filled with incredulity, as if hearing utter nonsense. But that was all.
“If you don’t believe me, look again with those eyes of yours.”
Kim Shimun shrugged and pointed the platinum spear, clearly uninterested in providing a detailed explanation. To that, “Fine! You arrogant human!!”
Despite being in a life-threatening situation, Sargas charged forward with fury in his eyes.
“I’ll see it again! What future you claim is predetermined!!”
His future sight encompassed almost half his face,
Whirr!!
Emitting a powerful hum and a deep brown glow. Then,
Crackle!
The platinum lightning shot forth once again. Future sight, activated to its fullest, showed the path of the lightning.
Just like before, it aimed at the left side of his chest, towards his heart.
Sargas twisted his body accordingly.
‘This can’t be!’
He could only let out a gasp of shock.
‘Is the future truly set?!’
The trajectory shown by future sight remained unchanged.
‘No, it can’t be!’
Sargas, amazingly fast for a figure standing 8 meters tall, withdrew his body as quickly as possible.
Yet,
‘Not here either? Then here! No, maybe this spot!’
No matter where he fled, future sight consistently showed the lightning striking his heart.
Even with his ordinary vision,
Szzzz.
Tsst, tsst.
Like a living creature, the platinum lightning twisted and turned, pursuing him through every dodge.
“No! No!!”
Sargas shouted in fierce denial. Had he surpassed his limit?
Drip.
Blood flowed from his left eye, which emitted a deep brown glow, trailing thick and red. Yet, Sargas’s desperate struggle continued.
Thud.
His back finally hit the collapsed wall. There was no more room to dodge, no strength left to evade. Sargas saw the persistent image of the lightning bolt piercing his heart.
‘Is this truly the end for Sargas?’
He could only stare blankly at the platinum bolt of death streaking towards him without deviation. At that moment, he heard, “I told you.”
A clear, distinct voice echoed in his ears.
“The future is already set.”
And with that,
Crackle!
The era of Undefeated Sargas came to an end.
*
A dazzling platinum radiance illuminated the dim transport route.
When it faded,
『You have completed the mission from the five constellations.』
『You have earned 10,000 achievement points.』
A message popped up indicating the mission was cleared.
Kim Shimun brushed it aside.
Ssss.
He looked down at the enormous corpse of Sargas, its torso burned black and blown open.
Due to its size, the body looked like ancient remains being excavated.
As if to console his spirit, platinum sparks danced around like fireflies.
Crackle.
Then, the weight in his hand began to lighten.
Swish.
Looking at it, the weapon born from the fusion of mythic-grade weapons, the guaranteed hit lightning spear, started to disintegrate into platinum particles.
Kim Shimun glanced at his chest and asked, “Philo, is there no refund for this?”
-…Oppa, do you really need to say something like that at such a touching moment?
It seemed out of breath, utterly astounded. Kim Shimun scratched his cheek sheepishly in response.
“No, I just… wanted to ask if it’s possible. The cost wasn’t exactly small.”
A whopping 5,000 achievement points. If he got 20% back as before, that’d be 1,000 points. Even if it were just 10%, he’d still get 500 points, right?
-That’s true, but… Oppa, can we set aside worldly concerns for a moment and honor this great achievement you’ve accomplished?
“Uh… is this really a great achievement?”
-Of course!!
The Philosopher’s Stone practically screamed.
-Do you even understand what you just achieved, oppa?
It was so incredulous it was almost shocked.
-Ars Magna! You’ve accomplished Ars Magna!!
It shouted excitedly again and again.
-It’s like you’ve glimpsed the pinnacle of what alchemy can achieve!
Kim Shimun nodded silently at the Philosopher’s Stone’s words.
‘Certainly… it was an incredible power.’
That indescribable something. Feeling it brush against his mind and etch into his soul felt like transcending his inherent nature, being reborn as an entirely new entity.
Indeed,
『You have realized your own Ars Magna.』
『The title ‘Pioneer of Alchemy’ has additional options.』
『Your alchemy energy increases by 20.』
『The Philosopher’s Stone’s level has risen.』
In the corner of Kim Shimun’s vision, his alchemical abilities had generally advanced thanks to Ars Magna.
‘The title aside, it increased my alchemy energy by 20.’
Shimun’s main stat increased 20. Simply put, that’s equivalent to leveling up 20 times. It was similar to when he gained significant Dragon Force from the corrupted World Tree.
Moreover, ‘The Philosopher’s Stone also leveled up.’
The Philosopher’s Stone, which had been the slowest to improve among his alchemy-related abilities, had grown from one realization of Ars Magna.
“So, um…”
Having confirmed it all, Shimun bit into an understated smile and asked,
“You leveled up this time, too. Are you sure there’s no payback?”
-……
A moment of silence.
Then,
-Oppaaaaaa!!
The Philosopher’s Stone’s outburst brought a cheerful laugh from Kim Shimun.
“Haha! Just kidding.”
-Please, don’t joke like that… It makes me dizzy…
“Okay, okay.”
Having thoroughly teased the Philosopher’s Stone, Shimun quickly appeased it. With a smile still lingering on his face, Kim Shimun glanced down at his faintly trembling right hand.
The guaranteed hit lightning spear. The aftermath of wielding that immense power hadn’t faded yet.
‘Even if the equivalent exchange was quite expensive, it was a power worth the cost.’
5,000 achievement points. It was undeniably a significant price for a single use. But given the fusion of Astrape and Gungnir, it possessed incredible power.
‘Not only did it merge their advantages, but it also seemed to enhance the overall performance.’
Of course, compared to an authentic mythic-grade weapon, there would be many shortcomings. But Kim Shimun felt no regret.
Because, ‘I felt like I had created my own weapon.’
Not something of another Constellation, but a weapon born solely from the existence of Kim Shimun.
Perhaps reading his thoughts,
-You’re right, oppa.
The Philosopher’s Stone chimed in affirmatively.
-Ars Magna differs fundamentally for each alchemist who achieves it.
“Really?”
-Yes. Think about it. Even among Rankers, would the realizations of your younger brother and that bastard Zhang Liqiu be the same?
That made Kim Shimun chuckle.
“Put that way, it really hits home.”
-Right? Of course, if we delve deeper, it’s different from such field-specific realizations… But roughly speaking, the context is the same.
Therefore,
-The weapon you’ve created with Ars Magna is purely yours, brother. The constellations would likely see it that way too.
Kim Shimun’s feeling that it was his unique weapon wasn’t wrong.
Sure enough,
『Constellation Black Goat, Heavenly Demon, and Baal nod their heads.』
『Constellation Zeus flashes a satisfied smile.』
『Constellation Odin watches you with a now more gleaming eye.』
The approving reactions from the constellations appeared one by one.
Seeing this, Shimun nodded.
“Good to know.”
-What’s with that lukewarm response? Be more amazed! You’ve accomplished something truly incredible as an alchemist!
“I am plenty amazed.”
Having personally wielded such power, Kim Shimun felt the depth of the realization he achieved more than anyone else. Soon.
“Oh right.”
Kim Shimun gave a small sigh and quickly turned around. The reason was simple.
‘It seems the aftermath of realizing Ars Magna has severed my links with the golems.’
The bodies he had synthesized likely crumbled entirely too. Thus, the only one guarding the escaped Dark Elves was Dayna by herself.
‘I need to quickly deal with the cause of this soul cycle disruption and head back.’
Even though he had defeated Sargas, the primary objective of this special arena was ‘rescuing the Dark Elves’.
Snap.
Just as he was about to perform human alchemy on his body and leap,
Rumble.
A strong vibration shook the area.
Simultaneously,
Swoosh!!
An immense ashen torrent burst through the ground, shooting skyward. Kim Shimun’s eyes widened at the sight.
‘Are those… souls?’
The torrent of souls he had seen when wearing Kynee. Now, even without wearing Kynee, he could see them with his naked eyes.
‘Why can I suddenly see them?’
Kim Shimun gazed at the rising souls with curiosity.
Then, ‘Wait. Come to think of it…’
He noticed something different from before.
It was:
-Ah… Finally!
-We are free! We are liberated!!
-Thank you! Thank you! Thank you….
Instead of screams and wails of agony,
they were all shouting words of gratitude and joy.
Then,
『You have completed the missions of the Death Constellations.』
A message announcing the mission’s completion appeared.
『You are awarded a death stat as a reward.』
『Due to the influence of the Philosopher’s Stone, the death stat is bound to your Alchemy Energy.』
『You have liberated all the souls trapped in the Black Forge.』
『You are awarded the Death Constellation’s Gift as a reward.』
A series of rewards followed. But Kim Shimun couldn’t focus on the rewards. The reason was simple.
Rumble!!
The transport route, no, almost the entirety of the Black Forge seemed to be collapsing as a massive earthquake shook the area.
Along with it,
Boom!
A hand even larger than Sargas’s slammed down in front of Kim Shimun. The owner of that colossal hand, a huge statue resembling a golem, had a head upon which, “Huh? It’s Appa!”
“Shi, si-yeon?!”
A child who shouldn’t be here was smiling brightly.
“Hehe! Appa!!”
She waved her hand cheerfully.
TL’s Corner:
Ars Magna, often translated as “The Great Art” or “The Great Work,” is a term rooted in alchemical tradition. In alchemy, it refers to the ultimate goal of the alchemist, which could involve a variety of profound accomplishments, such as:
Creating the Philosopher’s Stone: This mythical substance is said to have the ability to transform base metals into gold and grant eternal life.
Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment: It represents a state of perfection or enlightenment achieved through the alchemical process, often perceived as the purification and transformation of the soul.
Mastery Over Alchemical Processes: Achieving an unparalleled understanding and control over all aspects of alchemical transformation, both material and spiritual.
On the other hand, Shiyeon is cute as long as she doesn’t show her cruel creepy side.