Chapter 21: The Fallen Sun (1)
〚You can now enter the interior of the Golden Tower.〛
So much has changed.
The biggest achievement is knowing that there is a second floor, and possibly more beyond that. Until now, I thought the Authority I had obtained only applied to the first floor.
‘Yeah, it makes sense. Both the name of the hidden stage I discovered just before I died and the Authority I possess include the word <Tower>. Why did I only think of it as a single floor?!’
As I thought this through, another question naturally arose. What would be on the third floor? And what about the fourth?
Whatever lay in wait, it was bound to bring me significant power.
Gulp!
Suppressing the excitement that surged within me from such high expectations, I used the bracelet-like Manbyun to project an item from the Armory of Relics on the second floor.
〚Item: Manbyun absorbs the essence of the item: Fang Beneath the Swamp [Common-S].〛
Swoosh!
The bracelet morphed like liquid, and the dagger I had seen in my inventory appeared in my hand. When I selected another relic, a spear, a sword, a dao, and a shield all materialized in my hand one after another before vanishing.
‘So, this is how I obtain relics.’
It was both fortunate and disappointing. At least I wouldn’t lack relics, but it was unfortunate that I couldn’t sell them.
‘But for now, the flame-imbued sword is more useful.’
I could withdraw five high-grade items, but since my ownership was still limited, I could only access lower-tier ones. Using the flame sword as my main weapon and Manbyun to create unpredictability seemed like the best strategy.
After reverting Manbyun to its bracelet form and closing my inventory, I used my Authority with a pounding heart.
But the response was a refusal.
‘Is it because I’m inside the Hidden Stage? I can’t access the Golden Tower.’
It seemed I wouldn’t be able to enter the Golden Tower until I cleared this stage.
After a brief period of rest to recover from the aftermath of the intense battle with the Sphinx and to wait out the cooldown of the First Wing of Arrogance, I prepared to move forward.
-Are you leaving?
“Yes. I’m heading to the seventh floor.”
-Do not forget your promise with me. You must fully conquer this pyramid.
“I haven’t forgotten. Now just sit tight and pray to the sun you revere so much.”
-Heh! Fine, I’ll watch. Not that he will answer, though.
With those words, we were transported to the seventh floor.
***
The seventh floor was notably darker compared to the other levels. Even with the light from the headlamp I wore, it was difficult to see anything clearly.
〚Hidden Stage: Pyramid of the Sleeping Sun, 7th Floor – The Floor of the Fallen Sun〛
〚Collect the six fragments provided and complete the key to awaken the final boss of the Hidden Stage: Pyramid of the Sleeping Sun! Alternatively, you may place the incomplete key fragments on the central altar!〛
〚The rewards will vary depending on your choice.〛
There were no monsters on the seventh floor. It was also significantly smaller compared to the other floors. Still, it was about the size of a standard sports field.
“It seems like that thing chained up on the altar is the hidden boss, right?”
“Yeah, definitely. Now I see why the Sphinx stressed that I needed to complete this perfectly.”
There were two options.
The first option was to complete the key from the six fragments obtained while ascending the six floors, use it to unlock the seal on the chained coffin, wake up whatever was inside, and meet the conditions to receive the reward.
The second option was to forego completing the key, place the fragments on the altar holding the seal, and receive a reward.
The answer was clear. Since the former option was more challenging than the latter, it would undoubtedly offer a greater reward.
I decided to take on the challenge for the bigger reward, even though my promise to the Sphinx was just words.
I immediately took out the six fragments.
Clank. Click. Clink!
The fragments came together as if they were returning to their rightful places, forming a key that shone brighter than anything else in this dark pyramid.
“Let’s do this.”
“Yeah, let’s start.”
With a spear in hand and sparks crackling all around her, Seo Mina prepared herself. I inserted the key into the lock on the chains holding the coffin.
Click! Clank! Flash!!
A bright light burst forth, sending a shiver down my spine. Instinctively, I threw myself backward, and that decision turned out to be the right one.
Boom!
As the chains broke, a massive arm burst out of the coffin, smashing down right where I had just been standing.
“What is… this?”
It had merely swung its arm, yet the ground erupted as if struck by an explosion.
Crack! Snap! Crunch!
Starting with its hand, the form of the final boss sealed inside the coffin began to emerge. It had bronze-colored skin and a body dozens of times larger than that of an average human. Above its head floated a broken and dimmed sun.
No, it wasn’t just a symbol. The sun itself had descended.
〚Hidden Stage Final Boss: Fallen Noonday Sun – Ra [Mythical (Sealed) – F- LV 55]〛
As the boss’s name appeared, Ra, now fully unsealed, let out a monstrous roar toward the sky.
‘This is not normal!’
Its eyes were empty, its movements unnatural, and above all… there was no magical energy emanating from it.
Ra. How could I not recognize that name? Even as a child, I had a keen interest in myths and legends.
In Egyptian mythology, or what is known as the Heliopolitan myth, Ra is the creator god, holding the highest and most revered position—the Sun God.
The final boss of this pyramid was a fallen Great Constellation, stripped of its power and status!
‘Ra is at least on par with, if not superior to, Lucifer!’
He was once the first and greatest of a dimension, a true deity worshipped by all.
‘But why is a Constellation appearing in a tutorial?!’
I finally understood why the Sphinx had that hollow, pained expression when I told it to pray to the sun.
The Sphinx must have known all along that its deity was also trapped inside this pyramid, making any prayers futile!
There was no time for further distractions or idle thoughts.
‘I can’t win against this even if I die and come back to life!’
No, even if I died twice and came back to life, I wouldn’t be able to win.
Every move from the berserk Ra, lost in rage, was ferocious and powerful enough to be a direct death sentence.
“Seo Mina! We need to find a way! They wouldn’t have us face a Constellation, even a fallen one, right from the tutorial! There must be a method! I’ll draw its attention!”
The solution must be tied to the only thing left in this space—the altar. With a determined look, I conveyed this to Seo Mina and immediately activated Equivalent Exchange and unfurled the First Wing of Arrogance.
As my Mugeuk stat increased, the overwhelming and electrifying power surged through me again… but there was no time to marvel or be astonished.
The being before me was several times stronger than I was, even after all my enhancements.
Even though Ra had lost its mythical status and the radiant power of creation, he was still the Sun, a King, and a Creator.
That mighty being moved his fist to crush the fly that dared to hover before him.
-Graaaaa!!!
Like a colossal hammer, the inescapable force struck down on me, as if crushing my head beneath a press.
“Damn it!”
Boom!
“Gah!”
Even a mere graze sent shockwaves that flung me far away.
While the Sphinx was big and strong, it was slow enough that I could evade its attacks. Ra, on the other hand, overwhelmed me with superior stats in every way.
“It’s not enough! I need more power!”
I never intended to face it head-on in the first place. Smashing a diamond boulder with an egg wouldn’t even leave a scratch.
‘Blocking it is impossible.’
Blocking suggests a manageable difference in power, but this? Any attempt to block it would get me crushed to death.
The only silver lining was that Ra’s mind seemed broken, almost as if it was in a state of frenzy.
-Graaargh!
As Ra clutched his head and roared, I quickly opened my inventory and pulled out a doping set, drinking it down.
A stronger force began to course through my body, and a crushing pain started in my chest.
‘I’ve surpassed my limit.’
Even with buffs, there’s a proper dosage. Too much of anything is harmful, and I’ve just crossed that line.
‘But there’s no other way.’
The opponent is a mythical god, at least five ranks higher than me.
-Grrrr! I… will… kill… you…!!!
“Damn it!”
His terrifying eyes turned toward me, and soon Ra’s fists rained down like gigantic iron beams falling from the sky, overwhelming in their power.
All I could do was rely on my Mugeuk stat and try to dodge his attacks somehow.
“Damn it!”
But this time, even my Mugeuk stat couldn’t save me. Was it because of the massive difference in rank and power between us?
I couldn’t sense anything—not his attack paths, nor any way to evade. It meant I had to survive solely on my own strength.
“I found it! There’s a slot here on the altar where we need to insert the key! It has to go here! There’s an incredibly intense magical energy lying dormant in this spot!”
Seo Mina’s discovery came at a critical moment. It felt like we were halfway to victory, but the biggest problem remained.
‘The key… damn it!’
The key that needed to be inserted into the altar was embedded in the broken sun floating above Ra’s head.
It already felt like I’d die just trying to dodge his attacks, and now I had to climb that massive body and retrieve the key from the sun atop his head?
‘This difficulty is basically telling me to go die. Damn this Hidden Stage!’
There was no means left to aid me. Heavenly Fortune was dormant, Equivalent Exchange had been used, and the First Wing of Arrogance had only a short time remaining.
To make things worse, my body was suffering from the effects of excessive doping, and the strain was intensifying.
There was no turning back now. There was only one way forward: dodge all the attacks and steal the key from above his head.
“Seo Mina! Can you use your strongest attack to hold him off, even for a moment?!”
“I can’t hold him for more than three seconds! The stat difference is too overwhelming!”
“That’s enough!”
Even if the aftermath would be severe, there was no other option. I immediately opened the first-floor Golden Treasure Vault and pulled out all five of the high-grade potions allowed.
Strength. Agility. Stamina. Senses. Endurance.
The most basic yet effective buff potions—drinking them one by one as I narrowly evaded the falling blows.
With each potion that enhanced my body, the strain grew even worse. Eventually, my stomach twisted, and blood seeped from my mouth… but there was no other way.
“Cough! Argh!”
I endured the internal pain that throbbed down my throat. If I wanted to live, I had to face death head-on.
“Now!”
With Seo Mina’s shout, an overwhelming light engulfed Ra.
“Manbyun!”
〚Item: Manbyun absorbs the essence of the item: Cloud Step [High-F].〛
With that, I leaped forward, sprinting across Ra’s massive body.
—
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