Above Your Head

Vol 2. Chapter 4: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (4)

Great Wizard Zenon

Level 15

White Imoogi

It might seem to be a day and a dollar short, but my ability to see titles had undergone an evolution since experiencing the Divine Spirit. It wasn't a bad thing. If I had to choose, it was a change similar to a renewal or update. One of the biggest changes among that was the Level system.

'Imoogi, huh... It's the strongest being among those I have ever seen on Earth. Since I haven't personally seen this man, this Great Wizard is presumed to be a transcendent (Level 20).'

Generally, humans were Level 1. Seeing the fact that humans across all age groups—from young children to sturdy adult men—were Level 1, it seemed that a single level had a wide range. In terms of fighting ability, the martial artists who appear on TV were Level 2. Then, in other areas, the university professors who won a Nobel Prize were either Level 2 or Level 3.

'In other words, this means that the limit of an average human being is Level 3.'

In particular, an existence that surpassed Level 2 in terms of fighting ability could not be found due to the limitations of the human body. Although very few of the predatory beasts that appear in documentaries, such as bears or tigers, were sometimes Level 3, that only applied for non-human species.

'But, the court ladies standing on every floor of Gangnyeongjeon[1] were at Level 3.'

The cause of that was whether or not they learned superpowers. To put it in another way, it also meant that it was possible for a user to transcend the limitations of humans by honing his or her superpower.

Also, for reference, there was another change aside from the addition of Levels.

Name: Kwan Dae-ha

Class: None

Title: Disaster of Mankind Level 1

Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Health: 100 Agility: 100

Mana: 100 Magical Power: 100 Magic Resistance: 100

Regeneration: 100 Mana Regeneration: 100 Luck: 100

Condition: Normal

I have had the Stat Window ever since I was a kid, which was why I had gone to such lengths to equip the stat-increasing title, Fly Hunter, on the regular. However, unlike when it was on Earth, the stats were outstanding as a whole. The stats, which were only 10 points at most and nothing more than 30, were all set at 100 points. It was as if they had been purposely adjusted.

Although 100 points seemed to be a small number, this figure was already close to the limits of humans. It would give its owner a monster-like body that could easily lift a 80-kilogram bag of rice with one hand, and bench press 300 kilograms without much difficulty. What's more…

"Book." Flap flap flap-! A book appeared in front of my eyes and flipped open by itself. Then, there was a change in the Stat Window.

Name: Kwan Dae-ha

Class: None

Title: Disaster of Mankind Level 1

Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Health: 100 Agility: 100

Mana: 100(+600) Magical Power: 100(+600) Magic Resistance: 100(+600)

Regeneration: 100 Mana Regeneration: 100(+600) Luck: 100

Condition: Normal

Additional stats had appeared in the Stat Window. The source of it was very obvious.

'Napoleon.' I recalled the impressively-caped figure of the gigantic Gigas, which was blown off along with an explosion. Although he was dead, his heart—the Iron Heart—was imbued in me. It granted me an enormous adjustment to the stats that were related to Mana.

Of course, it did not make sense. The Iron Heart was not some sort of Neidan[2] and it wasn't possible for a lifeform to absorb it. It was basically akin to a nonsensical concept, like believing how a human can run as fast as a car upon drinking petroleum. However, ordinary constraints were irrelevant when it came to me, the biological child of the Machine God, Dekarma.

'Genie, do you know anything about Imoogi?'

You're referring to the practitioners. Even among them, Imoogis are divided into two types.

'Two types?'

As I expressed doubt at Genie's words, Ares was the one who replied, Ahhhhh, those are pretty well-known. The Amassing of Merit and the Gateway.

The principle known as Amassing of Merit referred to the process of training. The process varied but millennial meritorious achievements were common. However, if one were to finish the whole process and complete the Spiritual Body, they would be able to throw away the cast of a mortal being, and step foot into the realm of transcendence.

On the other hand, the Gateway referred to beings who were reborn as a transcendental species, or an existence beyond that. This took place upon the completion of special conditions or trials via the tests presented by the Elohim, or to be more exact, the Saint Realm.

'Which one is harder?'

Of course, they're both equally as hard. That's initially how it is when it comes to the realm of transcendence. Among the pilots who had controlled me before, there were those who went through the Amassing of Merit and those who went through the Gateway, but they all said that both were arduous.

The Amassing of Merit, or simply the Great Service of accumulating and building a foundation as a transcendent with one's soul for a thousand years, was hard to achieve even if one had an indomitable will. A thousand years was by no means a short time, even if one were to live their life while frolicking around. Thus, how could someone train with all their might for a thousand years? It was a process that would unsurprisingly drive one to go out of their mind.

Moreover, the Amassing of Merit's process was not only a matter of pain and boredom. Small trials were given once a year, difficult trials were given once a decade, and hard trials that were great enough to topple the contributions were given once a century. Hence, it resulted in a successive series of people failing or giving up during the process.

It was a trial that was given by none other than the worlds the partaker belonged to, and it was mainly done with the purpose of interfering with the Amassing of Merit. The methods varied greatly from the inner demons and suspicions that stem from one's mind, concerns of the training itself, to the constraints or cataclysm of fate, or the sudden appearance of enemies.

In particular, the trials given once a millennium were so vicious and atrocious that it was renowned for breaking down the practitioners who had almost achieved the feat of countless millennia of meritorious achievements.

That was the reason why the Imoogis, who were about to ascend to heaven after building up merits over a thousand years with their utmost efforts, would scream, "My millennial meritorious achievements-!!!" This was especially true when they were attacked by an enemy they would have usually looked down on, because such a situation caused them to relinquish their Neidan.

The method is a little different for the Gateway. If Amassing of Merit was a fight against your own self, the Gateway was a process of competition.

To get to the Gateway, one would have to compete with all the practitioners who walked the same path in the Great Universe. Unlike Amassing of Merit which unconditionally took up a tremendous amount of time, the Gateway could be reached within a year if there was luck (of course, there were virtually no such cases). However, it was only possible if he or she could overcome all the other outstanding competitors.

To speak in Earth's terms, the Amassing of Merit was akin to the process of going through elementary, middle, and high school, all the way up to enrolling in college, grad school and achieving a doctorate on the condition that 'if you were to doze off in class, be late for class, or get below-average scores, you would have to start all over again'... On the other hand, the difficulty of the Gateway was basically similar to getting first place in the world for the CSAT examinations [3]. If they can't do it, they would have to keep trying until they could.

'That's brutal.' I looked down at the white Imoogi who was quietly asleep with pitiful eyes. From my point of view, it would be good to just live in the same world, so I wondered why they would go through such hardships... However, no one in the world had the right to laugh at someone struggling for their dreams.

By the way, why are you suddenly asking about the Imoogi, Captain-nim?

'I just suddenly thought that the level of Earth's spirituality was too high.'

As I turned around and walked back towards Gyeonghoeru Pond [4], Genie replied to my murmuring, I am in agreement with you. The more I look around, the more unusual this place is. Hmmm.

Genie had a look that seemed to show that she was pondering for a moment. Even though she was just a program, she really felt like a human at times like these.

If it's really weighing on your mind, would you like to request for information from the Empire? Earth-34 is designated as a Special Tourist Zone, so some parts have been opened up to the public. However, they did not disclose the information to the Union, so the information I have is...

'Ahhh it's fine. There's no need to contact them for this.' Right at the moment of my light expression of intending to refuse Genie's idea…

-Awooooooo!

I was standing at the entrance of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and I could hear a loud howl of wolves. Of course, it was not really a cry of an animal. As a clear demonic energy was transmitted, it was obvious that it was a demon tribe that was howling out there.

"Ermm, noona," I called out to one of the court ladies who were located at almost every door. A beautiful woman that exuded a graceful impression, with her hair nicely tied up with a binyeo[5] turned her head towards me. "What's that noise?"

"It's safe in the palace, so please don't be anxious."

"No, I'm not saying I'm anxious."

"It's safe inside the palace."

I clicked my tongue at the sight of the court lady who firmly kept her mouth shut. In most cases, they treated people kindly with a face full of smiles. However, it was frustrating to see them always unbending and stiff, probably due to the education they have received.

'Genie.'

Please wait a moment, Captain-nim. Three, two, one. Moving to Another Plane completed. Attempt to film is...successful. I will put the source of the noise on the display.

Giiiyingggg. Udjat, the glasses-shaped Magic Armament that I was wearing, lightly vibrated. I was fascinated, and asked, 'You were just on the surface world, but did you just cross over to the parallel world?'

That's right, Captain-nim.

'It's faster than I thought.'

That is because the Albatross ship is equipped with Astral Drive.

I nodded at the confident voice. Then again, Astral Drive was a function that sent the ship itself to a different dimension, so it was nothing strange. The parallel world wasn't an individual dimension with some sort of lock on it.

Beep. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts[6], which was in ruins, was reflected on one side of my sight. It was as if it had finished the process as we were conversing. 'It's right in front, huh.'

It's about 600 meters away.

On the screen shown by Genie, a wolf made of shadows stood there. It was a wolf in name only, and it was a lot bigger than an ordinary tiger.

Level 5

Hungry Shadow Wolf

I clicked my tongue at the seemingly insincere name. It didn't even look very strong, and was at a level similar to the bandage bastard from before. Of course, this was just a subjective sentiment. It was a dangerous monster even at that level. If it showed up in the surface world, and someone tried to capture it with modern weapons, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that there would be hundreds of casualties. Weapons like pistols wouldn't work, and rifles would barely be able to penetrate its hide.

It's a shadow wolf. It's the lowest-tier demon.

'It looks weak.'

Of course, that might be the case for you, Captain-nim. However, don't look down on it too much. The demon tribe is a very dangerous race. Even the weakest demons could easily bite and kill a well-equipped ability user.

But then again, was there any need to further explain seeing that a Level 5 beast was the lowest-tier demon even among the low-rank beings? However, the problem was that the opponent facing the shadow wolf could not even be put on the same realm.

Great Wizard Zenon

Level 16

Giant Soul Soldier Sejong

Great Wizard Zenon

Level 16

Giant Soul Soldier Sun-shin

The shadow wolf repeatedly let out a threatening howl, but it did not dare to charge forth. This was because the eyes of the two statues in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace[7], to be exact, in front of Gwanghwamun[8] were shining.

Ares, who had been quiet for a while, spoke as if he was surprised, That's pretty good stuff though?

"Caenggg!" The two statues were just standing in place, but the shadow wolf was scared stiff and ran away. It was expected, since they were on a completely different class.

This is...a golem purely created by magical technology. It's an incredible standard.

All kinds of information on the two statues began to be transmitted to one side of my vision. The observation equipment of the Albatross ship began to operate.

'How good is it?'

I asked just to confirm, and Genie replied accordingly, I don't know the detailed information, but with this level of output and function... It's the work of a transcendent. Only a Great Wizard can make such a masterpiece.

Ares also added, This is not something possible just by being a Great Wizard. This technological skill is at a level that can create a Gigas if there is an Iron Heart... Even in the fields of technological engineering, this is only possible if there is a high level of skills. This isn't just a hobby; this is impossible unless it is backed up by fairly laborious research.

It is a fact that a Level 16 golem was an object not easily seen even in the Leonhardt Empire. This meant that the golem was not made just to kill time, but an object that was made quite seriously.

'But I don't get the reason behind it. I know that there was a Great Wizard on Earth, but aren't they being too diligent?' I was speechless because there were the words Great Wizard Zenon attached and affiliated with everything, as if it was the name of some kind of manufacturing company. Moreover, he was not from Korea, and was not affiliated with Korea. There weren't even any signs of him having a particular preference for Korea.

Judging from the vibe, these objects or lifeforms seemed to be scattered all over Earth. Even if it was a Great Wizard, it would take a lot of time, effort, and resources to come up with this level of environment and end product.

'For what reason?' I couldn't understand. He would be an existence that was no different from a God in such an inferior civilization, so why did he bother to carry out this much 'preparation'? I don't think there would be an 'enemy' on Earth that could threaten him. As I was lost in thought, I realized that something had changed.

1. (Korean: ???; Hanja: 康寧殿), also called Gangnyeongjeon Hall, is a building used as the king's main residing quarters.

2. Neidan, or Internal Alchemy, is an array of esoteric doctrines and physical, mental, and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death. It is basically a culmination of cultivation that can be used to strengthen oneself.

3. CSAT is designed for testing candidates' ability to study in colleges, with questions based on the high school curriculum of Korea. It normalizes high school education, and provides accurate and objective material for college admission.

4. It is a pond in Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, which is a hall used to hold important and special state banquets during the Joseon Dynasty.

5. This refers to a Korean traditional ornamental hairpin.

6. It is the largest arts and cultural complex in Seoul, South Korea.

7. It is the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty.

8. It is the main and largest gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace.