Chapter 117

Advanced Arts, for the most part, contain considerable destructive power, making them unusable in the old-style training grounds.

Thus, after finishing my classes, I moved to the latest model, the Fourth Training Ground. And there, I ran into Jeong Hansol, who was heading to the same place.

“You’re really something else. Is there ever a day you don’t go to the training ground?”

“I rest very occasionally.”

Right there, I checked the information of Jeong Hansol, who was speaking to me with a look of exasperation.

【Jeong Hansol】

▶Level: 40

To have risen a full 2 Levels in such a short time. Truly a remarkable growth rate.

However, despite the significant gap at the start of the semester, she ultimately ended up being caught by me.

As I let out a satisfied smile, Jeong Hansol made a puzzled expression and continued.

“Why do you look so happy today of all days? It’s subtly unpleasant.”

“There’s a reason for that.”

“Did things work out with someone again? Sigh, the kids should know about your merciless womanizing ways.”

Although Jeong Hansol was saying incomprehensible things, I did need a partner to help with testing.

I entered the training ground with Jeong Hansol and secured a room.

Then I posed a question.

“Have you ever used an Advanced Art before?”

“Huh? The lowest grade ones, maybe. But I’m not proficient, so I don’t really use them in actual combat.”

Although not from a prestigious family, Jeong Hansol is also a top-tier prodigy. It seems she’s already starting to learn Advanced Arts.

“Why? Are you practicing them lately? Just memorizing the Art structure alone must be incredibly tough. Want some help?”

“I’ll just take the thought.”

It’s a kind offer, but unfortunately, I don’t particularly need to study Arts.

When I use my Intracranial Spell Repository Trait, everything just comes to mind naturally, and I understand it.

I positioned Jeong Hansol against the training ground wall and asked her to deploy a defensive Art with all her might.

“…What on earth are you trying to do? I’m feeling a bit uneasy.”

“It’s not an offensive Art, so don’t worry.”

First, I’ll test the Advanced Binding Art I’ve used once before.

Whoosh.

Great White is Empty Ethics.”

“Wait, you’re using that on me now?”

Jeong Hansol was flustered, but that was half an act. Having seen Jeong Hansol many times in the original work, I knew that well.

Dowon (Arrival Yuan) is Seonha (Selected Is).”

“Ah, damn it. Wall of the Azure Sky!”

Swoosh!

As Jeong Hansol deployed an upper Intermediate-Rank defensive Art to block my path, I gathered the surging Spiritual Power from all directions to the center as much as possible, completed the Art, and fired it.

“Eight Void Spiraling Net Curse.”

Fwoosh.

Crrrrackle—!

The two Arts collided, and Jeong Hansol’s firmly deployed Wall of the Azure Sky began to crumble slowly.

In the end.

Creeeeak!

Crumbling!

“Kgh!”

Completely shattered by the defensive Art, Jeong Hansol was swept away by the Spiritual Power wave and had her movements restrained.

‘This much is a success.’

Jeong Hansol’s Wall of the Azure Sky also seemed to have considerable completion, yet I broke it without much difficulty. That means the Art was deployed solidly.

“…Hey, it’s suffocating, so undo this quickly.”

“Got it.”

Whoosh.

Fsssh.

Of course, it was just a simple exchange of offense and defense, but if it works on an opponent of Jeong Hansol’s caliber, it should clearly demonstrate its full power in actual combat.

With a satisfied expression, I began testing other Arts as well.

“I want to test an offensive Art, can you use an Advanced defensive Art too?”

“If I start preparing in advance, it’s possible. But wait, since when did you learn this stuff?”

Jeong Hansol asked me with a dumbfounded expression.

Indeed, from Jeong Hansol’s perspective, unaware of the truth, my skill level must seem to have suddenly and strangely skyrocketed.

“This isn’t something you can learn overnight, right? So, you just deliberately didn’t use it during the exam?”

At that time, I truly couldn’t use it. But since that story wouldn’t make sense even to me, I made an appropriate excuse.

“Same as you. I hadn’t properly mastered it.”

“Ah, right, that’s why you’re practicing like this now. But still, you’re using it quite well enough, aren’t you?”

The reason Jeong Hansol felt that way was simple. That, too, was thanks to the Intracranial Spell Repository Trait.

‘Because I have absolutely no delay in the process of constructing an Art.’

No matter how smart or talented an Exorcist is, when actually deploying an Art with a vast structure, there is a slight delay in the process.

If one’s Art stat is high or their proficiency with that specific Art is high, they can cover it up, but not many people can do that.

‘Especially from Advanced Arts and above, it’s even more so.’

However, I just need to transfer everything that comes to mind exactly as it is.

Simply put, the basic task’s difficulty is different.

‘And utilizing the completed Art afterward is something I’ve done plenty of times in the game anyway.’

If we’re just talking about pure talent, there are plenty of people in this world better than me, but certainly in that aspect, I also have a somewhat unfair advantage.

After continuing the tests for a while with Jeong Hansol’s cooperation, I succeeded in gauging my current limits to some extent.

‘As expected, there are still far more things that are impossible.’

For example, the Art Clear Death Fragrant Poison, which Hectail used in our last battle, was also currently unusable for me.

However, as my Level rises from now on, those too will become usable one by one.

Meaning there’s no need to be impatient.

“How did you memorize this many Arts? Seems like you know more than I do.”

“I’ve studied a lot since before.”

“You’re really a strange guy.”

Jeong Hansol showed a reaction of finding it odd, but beyond that, she didn’t seem to harbor any particular doubts.

After roughly finishing her stretches, Jeong Hansol spoke to me again.

“So, we’re done now, right?”

“No, there’s one more thing I want to test.”

As I finished speaking, I took out a blue Talisman from my pocket.

The Talisman made in the style of Cheongwoon, the founder of the Cheong Family, which Cheong Joohwa had given me last time.

During the battle with Shin Dohoon, I hadn’t used it yet, so I deliberately didn’t bring it along.

So, to be able to utilize it in an emergency, it’s better to test this in advance as well.

“If you’re going to do it, finish it quickly. I’m getting tired.”

“This is the last one. Defend with an Intermediate-Rank Art.”

Towards Jeong Hansol, who unfurled the Wall of the Azure Sky again with an annoyed face, I imbued the Talisman with an Art and fired it directly.

‘Soul Blaze Rending Wave should be enough.’

But then.

“Huh?”

Whoosh.

Zzzzt.

Thwack!

In an instant, the Art ran wild and shot out without giving me any chance to control it.

The Art, fired in a direction greatly deviating from the front I had aimed at, struck the training ground wall directly, leaving considerable traces of destruction.

Thud.

Tap.

Groan.

After a brief moment of silence settling in, Jeong Hansol, who saw it, asked me with a face full of betrayal.

“…Hey, you. You said an Intermediate-Rank Art would be enough? Do you maybe hate me?”

“I didn’t know it would be this much. Sorry.”

Not to make excuses, but it truly was beyond my expectations.

The power was one thing, but the recoil was too severe to properly control the Art.

‘…Was this even made for a person to use?’

Thinking about it, Cheong Joohwa, the creator, also said she still couldn’t properly imbue this Talisman with an Intermediate-Rank or higher Art.

Art control is an area I’m quite confident in myself, so if even we find it this difficult, it’s truly no ordinary item.

‘Interesting.’

It feels like it stimulates and amplifies the Art, bringing it close to a Rampage state. But at the same time, it’s possible to gain enormous power from it.

It will require considerable training, but if I can get used to it, it clearly seems like it will become a truly powerful weapon.

Afterward, as a token of thanks, I helped Jeong Hansol with her training, then came outside and, after filling out the entry log, headed somewhere.

That place was none other than Myeongrim Mountain, where the Prophet Woonyeon resided.

“It’s been a while. I heard the news from that old man Myeongyool.”

“Yes. I’m glad you seem well.”

There were two main reasons I came to see Woonyeon.

First, to report that, as promised, I had prevented the tragedy entangled between Arietta and Myeongyool.

And second, to ask if this truly meant her Inviolable Prophecy had been broken.

After exchanging brief greetings, I cut to the chase and brought up the main point with Woonyeon.

“Is this the tragedy you spoke of, Woonyeon-nim?”

“Yes. I believe so.”

“Then, has the Inviolable Prophecy regarding those two truly been broken?”

At those words, Woonyeon pondered for a moment, then cautiously continued.

“What’s certain is that the death of Myeongyool I foresaw before is now not observed at all. I just met that old man yesterday, so there’s no mistake.”

“…I see.”

After resolving this incident, I felt a certain sense of incongruity.

Of course, the matter with Shin Dohoon and Myeongyool was a complexly tangled event and could rightly be called a huge crisis, but something kept nagging at me.

‘To be completely honest, I didn’t feel the absolute coercive force worthy of being called an Inviolable Prophecy…’

That was the one remaining question for me.

If I had simply brought Cheong Soha to that spot instead of me, wouldn’t her strength have been enough to resolve the situation?

Such thoughts kept surfacing, and the unease wouldn’t settle.

When I roughly explained that, Woonyeon nodded and opened her mouth again.

“I understand what you’re worrying about. I wasn’t at the scene, so I don’t know the exact atmosphere, but if you felt that way, it’s only natural to have doubts.”

“……”

“However, even if someone else had been there in your place, ultimately, it would have been difficult to prevent the tragedy. That’s what an Inviolable Prophecy is.”

At Woonyeon’s words, filled with considerable conviction, I looked at her, and she continued in a low voice.

“If you didn’t feel any particular coercive force of fate at that spot, there is only one reason.”

“What is it?”

“It means the scale of fate you possess is absurdly vast. To the point that if you so will it, you can twist others’ fates without much difficulty.”

To be honest, that was too grandiose a story.

Being able to twist others’ fates at will—isn’t that an arrogant expression, as if I were some creator?

Unable to grasp it at all, I asked Woonyeon again.

“Is such a thing possible?”

“Theoretically, nothing is impossible.”

“Then, have there been people like me until now?”

At those words, Woonyeon opened her mouth decisively.

“At least, I haven’t heard of any.”

“……”

“It seems you are entangled with far more strands of causality than I thought.”

In Woonyeon’s eyes as she gave her answer, there seemed to be a hint of pity, or perhaps a fear of the unknown.

I gazed at it with indifferent eyes and quietly lifted the teacup in my hand.