The dungeon room fell silent, as if sound itself had perished.
The Iron Cerberus was dead. It no longer even breathed.
Neither Aden nor Yoo Chae-young dared to speak.
Their minds struggled to process the scene before them.
“…”
“…”
Only Kang Hyun moved, lifting his head at the sound of a notification.
Ding!
[Skill <Kyle-Style Magic Swordsmanship> has leveled up.]
[Lv.Max → Lv.Max+1]
“Huh?”
<Kyle-Style Magic Swordsmanship>.
It encompassed all of Kyle’s combat techniques—not only martial arts but also the Words of Power.
‘But what’s with Max+1?’
Wasn’t Lv.Max supposed to be the limit?
And then, realization hit him.
‘…!’
He felt it in real time—his comprehension of the Words of Power deepening.
Specifically, the Word he had just used: 【Die】.
Its concept had become clearer, more refined. The thrill of enlightenment coursed through him.
‘Hah…!’
This system was truly something else.
‘Did the skill itself just help me break through?’
He could hardly believe it.
Moments ago, he had poured all his mana into that single 【Die】.
‘But now, it seems like the cost will be much lower.’
Previously, he had been clumsy in wielding 【Die】 at its true level.
Yet a single level-up had propelled him into mastery.
‘Does this mean I could use it against multiple enemies now?’
To gain such a leap in power with just one advancement—truly astounding.
‘Hail the system!’
Disciple, thank you!
For creating the system!
‘Wait, what happens if I use a [Skill Level-Up Coupon] here?’
His musings were interrupted by a murmur that snapped him back to reality.
“S-rank… Word Mage…”
“Ah.”
He turned his head to see Yoo Chae-young and Aden staring at him, mouths agape.
“An S-rank Word Mage and a Perfect Clear Awakened… the same person?”
Now that she mentioned it, Kang Hyun realized that the world perceived him as two separate figures.
Even Aden had thought the same.
“Master, what… was that just now?”
“Well… shouldn’t you be used to this by now? You can’t be shocked every time I do something new.”
“How could anyone get used to this?!”
Fair enough.
This time was indeed excessive.
“Even Kyle himself couldn’t use something like 【Die】!”
“Hmm…”
“He explicitly stated in the legends that such power was beyond mortals!”
Ah, right.
Why had he said something so careless back then?
‘I should’ve just claimed I couldn’t do it.’
Back then, it had genuinely seemed impossible.
Who could have predicted he’d achieve it at the brink of death?
‘How do I even explain this?’
After a brief pause, Kang Hyun decided to bluff his way through.
“Hey, do you really think Kyle couldn’t do something I just did?”
“Uh… but the records clearly say he couldn’t…”
“Obviously, he was hiding his full power.”
“Is that so? But there were no witnesses who—”
“Everyone who heard 【Die】 died. How could there be records?”
“Oh? That… makes sense?”
Aden’s eyes sparkled with newfound understanding, the explanation oddly plausible.
“Of course, even someone like Lord Kyle would have had a hidden ultimate technique.”
Calling Kyle “Lord” still felt weird on Kang Hyun’s tongue.
“Hmm…”
Aden accepted the nonsense without question.
Honestly, any clumsy explanation would have sufficed.
No matter how illogical, it was easier to believe than, ‘Kang Hyun achieved what even Kyle couldn’t.’
“Hmm… that does make sense….”
She now nodded seriously, her expression growing more thoughtful.
“Then, Master, does this mean you’ve also mastered Kyle’s ultimate technique?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow… amazing…!”
Her eyes sparkled endlessly, just like when he healed her mana block, when she first witnessed 【Stop】, and when he demonstrated Magic Swordsmanship.
“All right, that’s enough talk. Focus on your training. Look at me—I’m working hard to improve too, aren’t I?”
“Yes, Master! I’ll do my best!”
Her spirited reply echoed through the dungeon room.
When she switched into disciple mode, her simplicity was endearing.
“Good, good. Now let’s get moving… oh.”
Yoo Chae-young was still standing there, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
“Hey, what you saw today stays a secret. Got it?”
She finally closed her mouth but only swallowed nervously, offering no response.
“Come on, if you’ve got something to say, say it.”
“…Why are you hiding this? If you reveal your identity, you could gain unimaginable wealth and fame.”
Even now, the world was in a frenzy, searching for the S-rank Word Mage who had merely displayed 【Stop】.
If the existence of 【Die】 was revealed—a Word capable of instantly killing high-rank boss monsters regardless of their level…
‘Just how high would his value soar?’
The thought was dizzying.
Yet he insisted on hiding it.
“I’m not S-rank. If an S-rank comes after me, I’m done for.”
Heroes led short lives. Kang Hyun knew this all too well, having lost countless comrades.
“The price of fame is steeper than you think.”
His mana reserves and body were far too fragile.
No matter how exceptional his skills were, his “hardware” simply couldn’t keep up.
“To abandon fame just to avoid being targeted… I don’t understand.”
It seemed incomprehensible to someone with a normal perspective.
“Hah, such complacency won’t get you far.”
Earthlings—that’s the problem.
They don’t realize we’re at war.
Thanks to Thea holding the frontlines, they’ve grown complacent in their peace.
“Anyway, I don’t want to stand out for now.”
At the very least, I need to be strong enough to protect myself.
“Let’s credit today’s achievement to my disciple. I’ll just say I tagged along.”
“Oh!? Really, Master?”
It was over.
The roots of the Black World Tree had been severed.
Cracks appeared in the air, and the world itself seemed to shatter.
Crash!
Ding!
[You have cleared the dungeon.]
[Calculating clear grade.]
[Clear Rank: A]
‘Higher than I expected.’
It was a vast dungeon.
I’d avoided most of the monsters, skipping as much as possible. It had taken quite some time.
‘Perfect Clears are one thing, but their criteria still confuse me.’
It seemed that single-handedly one-shotting the boss had been the deciding factor.
‘Although I’ve seen so many Perfect Clears by now…’
An A-rank clear didn’t excite me anymore.
But Yoo Chae-young seemed to feel differently.
“An A-rank clear!”
In Korea, A-rank clears only happened a few times a year.
They brought massive guild incentives, national rewards, and promotional opportunities.
Not to mention, the dungeon rewards were bound to be extraordinary.
‘And now we have to downplay this in the report…!’
Even though it wasn’t her personal achievement, she couldn’t help but feel regretful.
A boss monster of B-rank raid caliber had been taken down in a single strike.
Ding!
[You have received a reward.]
[You obtained the ‘Elixir of Accelerated Growth (Physical).’]
“Huh?”
No random box?
Do you only get those for Perfect Clears?
“What’s this? Does anyone know?”
A pink potion in a vial appeared.
“That’s…! It’s the Elixir of Accelerated Growth!”
“Oh, as expected from the Support Team Leader. You know what it is?”
It seemed special—though not a Perfect Clear reward, it was still from a high-tier dungeon.
“It’s incredibly rare, practically priceless. It accelerates physical growth.”
“In what way?”
“For a certain period, your growth speed increases tenfold.”
“Tenfold!?”
“Wow! Really, tenfold!?”
Was this real?
“How long does it last?”
“You’ll find out after you drink it. A message will appear before you.”
“Ugh, why couldn’t it have been a mana elixir instead!”
If it were, I would’ve been yelling with joy—well, not actually yelling.
‘Wait, I shouldn’t yell.’
Bad for my throat.
I belatedly put my mask back on.
“Man… so this is the kind of reward you get from high-tier dungeons.”
Even without a Perfect Clear, this was quite lucrative.
“Wait. Does Seonghwa stockpile stuff like this? Got any mana elixirs?”
“Do you have any idea how rare attribute elixirs are? They’re so valuable there’s barely a market price.”
In other words, they’re worth whatever someone is willing to pay.
“Really? I get them pretty often, though.”
“…Do Perfect Clears just rain elixirs as rewards?”
Support Team Leader Yoo Chae-young’s expression wavered.
“Wow… if that’s the case, just selling one would set someone up for life.”
“You think I’d sell it?”
“Of course not.”
No way—I had to use it.
My physical stats were still abysmal.
Even during this dungeon, I hadn’t been able to step into the fray directly.
‘My stamina is E, and everything else is F.’
How much could I improve with this elixir?
“Hold off for now. Seonghwa will provide the optimal training environment, so you can use it for maximum efficiency.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. The elite track really is different.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
It had been an annoying journey, but the rewards were satisfying.
“This should be enough for the test, right?”
“Test? Oh…”
Yoo Chae-young had momentarily forgotten.
Right—this was supposed to be an entrance test.
‘Is he seriously asking if this is enough?’
It had to be a joke.
Still, she followed the protocol.
“…Top marks. You’re more than qualified to join Seonghwa.”
“I know.”
Even as she gave the standard response, she marveled at his confidence. He really did things his way.
“I’m tired. I’m leaving.”
Yoo Chae-young let out a small laugh, exasperated.
‘Everything about him is so unconventional.’
The way he suddenly joined through a special recruitment.
How he walked into the gate on his own.
The way he cleared the dungeon.
‘Who else would act like this in front of Seonghwa?’
But he had the skills to back it up.
It was impossible to dislike him.
“…I’ll contact you.”
“Sure.”
“You have to answer. Got it?”
“Sure.”
She hesitated for a moment.
‘Should I just drag him to the guild and make him sign the contract now?’
What if he disappeared again, doing things his way?
A Perfect Clear Awakened.
A mysterious S-rank Word Mage.
He was an extraordinary treasure.
She was afraid she’d lose it.
‘But he said he’s tired…’
Yoo Chae-young watched him and his disciple leave for a long time.
‘…I should get back to writing the report.’
But what on earth was she supposed to write?
Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
###
The two arrived at the academy.
Kang Hyun’s phone buzzed—it was a text from Yoo Chae-young.
<Feel free to come by the office tomorrow at your convenience.>
<Thank you. You’re truly my lifesaver.>
<I’ll make sure to repay this debt.>
<Got it.>
He sent a brief reply and immediately turned to Aden, who was trembling beneath him.
“See? You can do it. Two more.”
“Kyaah!”
Aden was doing push-ups, her arms shaking violently as if there were an earthquake.
Kang Hyun sat cross-legged on her back, adding to her struggle.
“Come on, two more!”
“M-Master…! Hah, hah! I’m going to die at this rate!”
“Did today teach you nothing? You need to get stronger.”
Even for a mage, basic self-defense was essential.
“Can’t go deeper than that?”
“My chest is already scraping the ground!”
“…Fine.”
It was only then that Kang Hyun noticed Aden’s ample chest pressing against the floor.
“Huff…! I’m a mage! Why do I need to build strength?!”
“Hey, was Kyle not a mage? He was a mage and still the arm-wrestling champ among heroes.”
“H-How do you even know about Kyle’s arm-wrestling skills, Master? Besides, the records say Le Morys was the strongest!”
What nonsense.
I won the final match.
Winning the last round means I won overall.
“Are you talking back to your master now?”
“Ah! No, Master!”
“Your mind isn’t healthy. You’re corrupted. A sound body fosters a sound mind. Five more.”
“Kyaaah!”
If she wanted to be a disciple, she had to commit.
Of course, his words weren’t baseless.
‘A healthy body allows mana to flow better.’
These days, people only cared about stats.
But this was a nugget of wisdom earned through heroic experience.
Aden was absorbing an extraordinary opportunity without even realizing it.
“Haah… Haah… this is the last one!”
Kang Hyun sat leisurely, chewing on a throat lozenge.
Crunch, Crunch.
“But Master, why do I have to do all this? Aren’t you going to exercise too?”
“Why are you so foolish? You could’ve waited until you were done to complain, but now you’ve invited trouble with just one left.”
“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Three more.”
“Kyaaah!”
Aden screamed in despair.
Disciplining a student was also a master’s responsibility.
“I’ll instill not only a strong body but also a sound mind.”
“Ugh, I… I can’t…”
She seemed too exhausted to hear him.
‘I’m not the one who needs physical training.’
When not guiding Aden, Kang Hyun spent his time meditating.
Refining the depth of <Death>, exploring spatial magic, and organizing the revelations from his skill level-up.
‘Progressing this quickly makes meditation worthwhile.’
He was eager to wrap up her training and return to his own growth.
Finally, the session ended.
“Haah… Haah…”
Aden lay sprawled on the floor.
“If you keep panting like that, you’ll ruin your throat. Hydrate.”
Kang Hyun poured water into her mouth.
She gulped it down, though some dribbled out, soaking her deep cleavage.
“Good work. Let’s grab some food.”
“Hah… Hah… I can’t cook. I don’t even have the strength to hold a spoon.”
“Not porridge. You need real food to build muscle. Let’s go eat meat.”
“M-Meat!?”
Aden perked up instantly, her eyes shining as she sprang to her feet.
Flash!
“Whoa, you startled me.”
She was surprisingly lively.
Should’ve pushed her for a few more reps.
“Meat!”
“Why are you overreacting? You’ve eaten meat before, haven’t you?”
“I’ve had pork belly and bulgogi, but it’s been so long since I’ve even seen Hanwoo beef.”
“Right… life in a tiny dorm really is beyond my imagination.”
Kang Hyun grabbed his wallet.
“I’ll get you the most expensive kind. Let’s go.”
“Aaaaah! Long live Master! Long live!”
“But didn’t you say you couldn’t hold a spoon?”
“I can handle chopsticks. Shall I carry your wallet too?”
“Let’s add three more reps next time.”
“What?”
The academy door closed behind them as they left.
###
Knock, Knock.
“This is Yoo Chae-young from the Support Team.”
“Come in.”
The door to the vice guild master’s office opened, and Yoo Chae-young entered confidently, holding a report on the recent events.
