The Tutorial Is Too Hard

[Let me go back,] said Ahbooboo.

I wasn’t expecting Ahbooboo to ask to be put back in the inventory.

I guess it’s reasonable since his blade has melted.

Instead of putting him back, I tell him:

[Wait a little while longer. We’ll be done soon.]

His melted parts wouldn’t get repaired even if he was kept inside the inventory.

Now that I have full control over my power, he won’t melt any further.

[Can you fix me?]

[I can.]

He settled down after hearing me reassure him.

I plan on consulting Kim Min Hyuk as soon as I return. Maybe he would know how to repair Ahbooboo.

If not, I’ll have to ask the administrators.

Maybe I can only find out how after the tournament finishes up.

But I think I can fix him.

After reassuring Ahbooboo, I scan my surroundings.

The region we’re in looks terrible.

Was this planet created to be a stage? I wonder if it’ll survive after exploding.

The heat waves around me are disrupting the air and making the air currents run wild.

Even though everything was burnt to a crisp, black and sooty smoke was still rising from the ground.

I was right to circulate the explosions around my sword. The explosions protected me.

The problem is that the other five illusions adopted the same tactic.

I didn’t expect our Light Sword explosion rings to merge together though.

The illusions wouldn’t have expected to fail like this.

We increased the distance between us, escaping before the huge energy rings collided, avoiding its impact.

We could only add more power to our energy rings.

In that moment, the explosion from the six energy rings colliding with each other, was of a level I could never reach by myself.

Even if I had six times my current strength, it still wouldn’t have been possible.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The heat from the attack still hasn’t subsided.

If it had been the me from before, just being here would be enough to kill me.

If it had been the me from before.

I move the heat aside using my mana.

The tall columns of flames that had been ascending upwards were swept aside by mana, creating an awe-inducing sight.

I was more awed by the fact that I could create such a situation.

Generating heat with power is the foundation of magic

But dealing with heat generated by other people is a completely different story.

It’s a matter of dominance.

All beings in the world have the ability to exercise control within a certain zone.

This wasn’t just the case for humans but also beasts and tiny insects.

Magicians can shoot fireballs, but they can’t burn their opponents’ bodies or boil the water in their bodies.

In order to do so, they would have to intrude on their opponent’s domain and exert their influence in it.

The scope of one’s domain is not limited to their body. Domains can be extended depending upon whether mana can be used at a long distance range.

That’s the reason why magicians block fireballs thrown at them rather than cooling the fireball down.

That ring of energy I made to protect myself against the heat wave and oppose enemy attacks was made of my mana. It’s under my domain.

However, the illusions protected themselves and attacked others in the same way. It forced me to control the energies released by them as well.

I wouldn’t have been able to escape or survive the explosion caused.

Had it not been for me controlling their energies, I would be long dead.

Maybe it’s even because they were my illusions, that I attempted a move like this and even successfully pulled it off.

[Impossible].

A voice rang out from below.

It’s my voice.

One of the illusions is speaking.

[How come he’s so far from us?]

I really cannot determine his position accurately.

I used my mana to help me clear the smoke and help me see the illusion better.

Finally, I could see him.

He was inside the ground.

The magma had engulfed half of his body.

[Absurd. This is impossible.]

[What’s impossible?]

[We’re perfect replicas to the point where we even have the same power and strength as you. You shouldn’t have the ability to control this explosion, let alone save your life.]

[And you do?]

I ask with a smile.

He remains quiet for a few moments, before he mutters again.

[… This is impossible.]

I was a little amused after hearing him.

[There’s no difference between you and us.]

Was that really the case?

They were mere duplicates of me.

That’s why they couldn’t feel the fear or dread from the threat called ‘death’.

There’s a huge difference between us.

A significant difference.

Their actual abilities were incompatible with the bodies they were using, changing the mana and strength they could actually use.

Well, that’s something they can’t change.

[Why is it that you’re still alive?]

Although he was stuck in the magma, he still has enough energy to talk to me.

[I drew up energy from my own powers.]

He answers.

It’s too short of an answer.

But this answer was enough to tell that had he been in his original body, he wouldn’t be suffering like this.

It didn’t matter to me what he was.

The most important thing was that I won today’s fight.

I’ll win against them next time even if they are in their original bodies.

I’m confident.

The last apostle is still talking to himself.

It all sounds like nonsense.

He’ll soon be dragged into the magma.

As he dies, I chuckle in satisfaction.

I was trying to laugh quietly, but I couldn’t hold back.

Yes, it’s rude to laugh at someone dying, but so what? They’re just illusions.

It’s not like they’re actually dying.

[Are you enjoying it?]

I respond to Ahbooboo affirmatively.

I’m elated.

It’s been a long time since I’ve fought like this.

It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced such a win too.

I am very satisfied with my success in this fight.

Isn’t it great?

I’m being cheerful while a world is being consumed by flame.

[You have successfully cleared the stage.]

[Your mana and body is fully restored.]

[Calculating results.]

[Points earned: 6,900,390]

[Current rank: 1st]

[Please wait for the next stage]

How many points is that?

It would’ve been great to have been awarded a gift along with the scores, but according to Lee Joon Suk, the score only shows your rank.

[Your team members have left the stage.]

[Remaining team members (1/6)]

[Do you want to continue to the next stage?]

It looks like everyone escaped.

That’s good.

They could have died inside this stage.

I’m glad they’re alive.

Maybe the system let them leave beforehand?

Maybe there’s a way to let team members leave the stage first and wait.

I’ll ask later.

I press on ‘No’ and try to leave.

[The God of Adventure offers to let you become their apostle.]

[The God of Slow offers to let you become their apostle.]

[The God of Duel offers to let you become their apostle.]

[The God of Death offers to let you become their apostle. The God of Death deems the apostle trials as being of no use to you. If you accept, you’ll become the God of Death’s apostle without having to complete any trials.]

[The God of Light offers to let you become their apostle. The God of Light deems the apostle trials as being of no use to you. If you accept, you’ll become the God of Light’s apostle without having to complete any trials.]

[The God of the Sky offers to let you become their apostle. The God of the Sky deems the apostle trials as being of no use for you. If you accept, you’ll become the God of the Sky’s apostle without having to complete any trials.]

Gods who often interacted with me, gods who’ve rarely been seen. All of them are asking me to become their apostles.

The God of Harvest who I often see within the stages and even the God of Nature who I’m not friendly with.

What a surprise.

My struggles for survival forced me to control my powers on a level higher than anyone else. I didn’t expect that to make the gods send me endless offers.

Perhaps my leap in power shot beyond the standard power level the gods expected from challengers.

Or perhaps the speculations regarding my true limits have finally been revealed, so they’ve finally made the offer they initially put aside.

So after several gods gave their offers simultaneously, the others simply followed in suit.

Either way, I could never know for sure.

I’ll just let it go.

It’s surprising to see gods I’ve never interacted with, gods who dislike me, and even the God of Slow who knows that I’ll refuse to become an apostle, all give me their offers .

What are they thinking?

I was about to ignore it, but then I remember something.

Kirikiri told me that no stages after the 49th floor allow me to meet the gods.

If I had known this, I would’ve challenged the 49th floor after the tournament.

This had to happen right after I cleared the 49th floor.

Tsk-tsk.

I clic.k my tongue and approach the floating portal.

Before I leave, I take out my clothes from my inventory.

The armour I’d been wearing was already ash.

I change my clothes, then check my body’s condition.

The system ensured full recovery.

The surrounding heat is enough to ignite my clothes, but I have full control over my powers now.

I enter the portal only after confirming there’s nothing abnormal happening.

I didn’t forget to reject all apostleship offers before I left.

I had this idea a long time ago.

After a moment, the portal takes me to the residence square.

I’m standing in the midst of a crowd.

I could feel the world narrowing again.

I can identify anyone’s domain the moment I see them.

I have some ideas regarding the invasion of others’ domain, so I’d like to test them out.

Can I lift people up?

Lifting the person themselves, not by wrapping their body in mana or by physical force.

If so, then I can wield my sword in its true form.

I could burn it, freeze it, or even make it glow.

I only know a few kinds of magic, but I’m curious about what kind of effects will be produced when magic invades someone else’s domain.

“Keeek!”

“Yes, I’m happy to see you alive.”

The frog welcomes me warmly.

Is the frog the only one waiting for me?

The others aren’t here.

“Keeek!”

“Yes, thank you.”

The frog’s best wishes made me feel much better.

I look at them again.

They’re enjoying themselves.

They’re enjoying their lives as if it’s the last thing they’ll ever do.

It’s a rare sight.

I get reminded of my time on the 18th floor.

It comes back to mind everytime I see people celebrating. Even though it’s something I want to forget.

What did I do back then?

Memories of that time fill my mind.

“Keeek!”

“It’s loud right? Let’s head back to our room. ”

The frog doesn’t like noise.

He must have gotten tired waiting for me all alone.

We walk through the boisterous road.

As I walk, I keep recalling the words I said.

Let’s go back.

That was a wrong choice of words.

I shouldn’t be heading that way.

I’m happy. But a sense of calm overtakes my mind.

It’s not a pleasant feeling.