Chapter 637:

Chapter 637:

'Manifestation, huh…'

Seong Jihan's eyes dimmed as he looked at the power that appeared before him.

If he obtained this power, would he be able to bring Dongbang Sak out of the Tower and manifest him as an independent entity?

'If that's really possible, it's not much different from creation…'

Though not quite creating something from nothing.

It would be taking a being from inside the game type 'Tower' and manifesting it in this world.

This was close enough to the realm of creation.

So, was that why the success rate was 0%?

"Well, have you found the power?"

"Yes. A power called Manifestation has appeared. However, the success rate is 0%, so it seems it was an ability I couldn't obtain before either.""Manifestation…"

Dongbang Sak stroked his beard as he listened to Seong Jihan's explanation of the power.

"I wonder if it would be possible to implement it in Ark as well?"

"Manifestation in Ark…"

"If I leave this place, wouldn't I become an entity of the server?"

"That's right."

"But I'm curious if being manifested in Ark would make me a being of the 'real world'."

"The real world…"

If Server 4212 was the created world, then the world where Ark exists could be considered the real world where the new humanity lived.

Seong Jihan pondered Manifestation again as he listened to Dongbang Sak's words.

This might be a more important ability than he thought.

"Hmm. I thought it was an ability I couldn't obtain anyway since the success rate is 0%… But if Manifestation works in Ark, that's a different story. I should try to increase the success rate."

"Of course, even if I'm manifested in Ark. I'm not an 'Isolate' like you, so I probably won't be able to stay there for long…"

Dongbang Sak paused stroking his beard and continued with a somber expression.

"We should also think about what happens after defeating Urd."

"After defeating Urd…"

"She's currently hindering the completion of the Transcendent. But if she dies, won't the halted fusion of the Transcendent proceed?"

"Probably, yes."

"Then. Will the completed Transcendent maintain this server?"

"Well… Noah said we could use the Overseer's authority for permanent server preservation, but… honestly, it's not a very trustworthy story."

Noah had said that 'permanent server preservation' could be done after defeating Urd and reclaiming the Overseer's authority.

But she already held that Overseer's authority.

Since the premise was flawed from the start, it was right not to expect much from Noah's talk of permanent server preservation.

"But… is this world really something like virtual reality?"

"Hmm… Accessing the server through the server access device in Ark was similar to entering BattleNet, but… Is there something bothering you?"

"…I'm not certain, but."

Dongbang Sak closed his eyes.

Swish…

A screen appeared before Seong Jihan's eyes.

'Image projection?'

Dongbang Sak facing the Black Administrator in the dark space of the universe.

In his hand in the screen was the Infinite Sword.

And the moment he tried to raise the sword.

Cracks appeared on the screen created through image projection.

Crackle…

The screen slowly began to shatter.

"Hmm. Perhaps because my memories haven't fully returned, the battle with the Black Administrator isn't projecting…"

"You've recovered memories not only related to your family, but from that time as well?"

"Yes. I can't remember exactly how I fought with him, having completed the Infinite Sword, but…"

Swish.

Dongbang Sak reached out his hand, retrieving the shattered image projection.

Then he spoke again.

"During the battle… it seems I entered Ark due to the aftermath."

"Ark… you say?"

"Yes. And from there, my memory cuts off… but if the server is merely virtual reality like BattleNet, wouldn't it be impossible to enter Ark while in the middle of a battle?"

Seong Jihan blinked at those words.

Certainly, that screen clearly showed the scene when Dongbang Sak's world was destroyed.

That universe was definitely Server 2101.

But no matter how fierce the battle with the Black Administrator was there, could one really move to Ark?

"Hmm… I'll have to ask the Black Administrator about this."

"Do that. As I face the Infinite Sword, many fragments of my memory are resurfacing… I'll let you know if anything comes up after I organize my memories further."

"Understood."

Seong Jihan returned to the Tower of Martial Gods, deep in thought.

'I need to understand the server clearly.'

After learning about Ark and the existence of the new humanity.

He thought the server was just a continuous virtual reality simulation, like BattleNet.

But hearing Dongbang Sak say he entered Ark while fighting here, it seemed he needed to grasp the nature of the server clearly.

As Seong Jihan was thinking about the world of the server.

The Red Administrator, trapped in blue and red, spoke to him.

[The essence of the server… Even when I was in Hephaestus, I couldn't find anything about this.]

'You looked into it?'

[Yes. It's not easy to accept that the world I lived in was merely a simulation by a higher being. So I tried to look into it, but then the Infinite Sword invaded, and I had to stop.]

He must be talking about when he first entered Ark.

So, he looked into the server then as well.

[Hephaestus was just an auxiliary energy source, so it didn't have access to core information. Why don't you try using the Overseer position you obtained this time?]

'Hmm… The Overseer. Right.'

The 'Ark Overseer – Observer' position that Noah left behind when she died.

Last time in Ark, he couldn't use this position.

But next time he entered, he must make sure to utilize it.

Thinking this, Seong Jihan opened the power expansion tab again.

['Protection' – Success Rate 73%]

['Manifestation' – Success Rate 0%]

The Manifestation power that appeared below Protection.

It was disappointing that it was 0%, but.

'Well, anyway, I can use the 0% right now.'

If he failed to enhance 'Manifestation' with a 0% success rate, one of the remaining 3 powers, excluding Device Proficiency, would be randomly enhanced.

Here, he should hope for Time Reversal to be enhanced.

Seong Jihan immediately poured all 4 remaining power expansion opportunities into Manifestation with that judgment.

Then.

Observation was enhanced twice, Tower Manifestation once, and.

[Power expansion failed. Existing power 'Time Reversal' is enhanced.]

At the last moment, Time Reversal was enhanced.

* * *

'…Observation sure likes to eat up power enhancement opportunities.'

It was an ability absolutely necessary to use the 'Ark Overseer – Observer' position.

Still, being enhanced 5 times out of 11 enhancement opportunities since obtaining the power seemed a bit much.

'Observation… isn't there some way to use this?'

As Seong Jihan thought this.

Flash…!

A brilliant white light flashed from both his eyes.

[Please think of a target to observe.]

Hearing the voice in his mind along with the light, Seong Jihan smiled slightly.

It was convenient that just thinking about it brought up how to use the power.

'Can Time Reversal be used like this too?'

As Seong Jihan thought this.

Whirr…

The light in his neck area flashed, and.

[Do you want to reverse the time of your body?]

[You can return to the state of 5 minutes ago.]

[1 White Light is consumed for every 1 second you go back.]

[Light powers that have already been expanded or enhanced cannot be reversed.]

The same voice as before was heard in his mind.

'1 White Light per second…? And if only the body goes back, it's not very useful.'

He had heard that when Urd connected with the Transcendent, her Time Reversal power was super-enhanced, turning her into a monster.

The original Time Reversal seemed to have little use compared to the White Light consumption.

'If only the expanded powers could be reset…'

Like saving and continuously loading until getting the desired result.

He could have kept randomly rolling power expansions, but they made it so that wasn't possible.

'It seems Time Reversal needs to be enhanced further to be useful…'

Swish…

As Seong Jihan had no intention of using Time Reversal, the light in his neck area gradually weakened.

Instead, he decided to use 'Observation' which he had almost used earlier.

'The target to observe… right now, the one I need to find is that guy.'

Feeling the void energy.

The White Administrator who had a mental breakdown and self-destructed after hearing Urd's words that the Black Administrator was pursuing him.

Since he had gone back one day before this incident occurred.

He needed to find that guy quickly and shut his mouth.

As Seong Jihan thought of the White Administrator,

Flash…!

A strong light burst from both his eyes.

[Initiating search…]

Along with that voice.

The vision in both eyes stopped seeing the world around him.

And began to scan the vast universe.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

Countless scenes flashed by as the power of Observation searched for its target.

The ability to instantly search the world was indeed worthy of being called a power of light, but.

'I don't know when this will end… Do I have to keep watching?'

Seong Jihan felt uncomfortable about his vision being taken over by the power of Observation.

"Once this is activated, does it take over my vision like this? Is parallel use impossible?"

[You can focus the power of Observation on one eye. However, when focused, the efficiency of Observation drops to 50%.]

50%.

Although it was disappointing that the efficiency would drop by half,

'This way, I might be able to use Observation in Ark.'

Last time, light manifested in both eyes even after obtaining the power of Observation.

Due to overlapping with 'Tower Manifestation' in his left eye, he couldn't use it.

If he had released the blue energy in both eyes to use the power of Observation,

He would have been judged to have two powers and absorbed by the Transcendent.

But it would be welcome if he could focus it on his right eye like this.

"It's fine even at 50%, focus it on the right eye."

[Understood.]

Whirr…

As the light concentrated in his right eye.

The left eye's vision returned.

With half seeing the top floor of the Tower of Martial Gods,

And half searching the universe, Seong Jihan furrowed his brow.

'This… it'll take some time to get used to.'

As he tried to adapt to the mismatched vision in both eyes, about an hour passed while the search continued.

'But it's almost time for that White Administrator guy to self-destruct… Should I just ask the black one for his location?'

As he was considering giving up the search due to the Observation power not immediately finding the White Administrator,

[Target's location has been observed.]

[Transmitting target's coordinates…]

Flash!

The figure of the White Administrator finally came into view.

'I should go right away.'

As Seong Jihan opened a portal towards the transmitted coordinates and crossed over,

[Ah, no. How can the eyes of light… Huh?]

The White Administrator, who was panicking at the sight of the eyes of light,

Saw Seong Jihan come through the portal and,

[Ah. No, how did you…?!]

He was startled.

Seong Jihan looked at him and,

'Does this… really work?'

With a hint of doubt,

"…PleaseTwoTraitsPlease."

He recited the command that Id had told him.