Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 39 (Part 1): Day of Peace (2)

I had 3 Tech Points remaining.

But the tech tree related to the nervous system wasn’t under [Magic] or [Stamina].

It was under [Perception].

—

[ Perception Tech Tree ]
1. [Low-Grade Spatial Awareness]
2. [Low-Grade Danger Sense]
3. [Low-Grade Echo Location]
4. [Low-Grade Perception Enhancement ]
5. [Low-Grade Cognitive Expansion]
6. [Low-Grade IIntuition Awakening]

If I learned [Low-Grade Perception Enhancement ] and [Low-Grade Cognitive Expansion], a new path would unlock: [Low-Grade Nervous System Enhancement].

Let’s go all in.

[You have acquired Low-Grade Perception Enhancement.]
[You have acquired Low-Grade Cognitive Expansion.]
[You have acquired Low-Grade Nervous System Enhancement.]

[Low-Grade Nervous System Enhancement]
◆ Overall improvement in neural efficiency, elasticity, and recovery.
◆ Sharpened perception perception.

A strange surge of exhilaration hit me.

My vision cleared, my hearing sharpened, my nose unclogged—every sense in my body heightened.

And on top of that, the item I’d dismissed as trash:

【Reinforced Compression Rimless Glasses】
◆ Overview: Reinforced, compressed rimless glasses. Far more durable than standard rimless frames. Wearing these might reveal what was unseen and achieve what was thought impossible?
◆ Grade: Unique
◆ Effect: +2 Perception when equipped, but continuously drains mana.
◆ Acquired Trait: [Nervous System Amplification]
◆ [Nervous System Amplification]: Infuse mana into the glasses to temporarily amplify nervous system performance. Effect scales with mana input, with continuous mana drain per second.

With these… I should be able to manage.

—

“Mr. Ha-woon.”

Just then, Kim Se-jin called out to me. I lifted my head slightly from where I lay on the floor.

“Yes.”

“Why do you want to grow as a mage?”

I hesitated briefly before answering plainly.

“…To survive.”

“But you’re alive right now, aren’t you?”

No.

“No. I’m dead.”

It wasn’t just about my remaining lifespan.

Ever since the day my body was destroyed, my life had been that of a wreck. A drifting buoy lost at sea, unable to move forward or drown. A life in monochrome.

“I was a soldier. For a long time. Maybe I still delude myself into thinking I am.”

I couldn’t say it suited me. My superiors had hated me.

A true soldier was loved even by their superiors. Politics were a basic requirement for soldiers. Those who couldn’t handle it were just expendable grunts on the battlefield.

“I… still have something left to do.”

Regression didn’t just give me a second chance at《Labyrinth Exploration NaN》.

It also gave me the opportunity to properly conclude ‘that day.’

“Alright. Get up.”

Kim Se-jin extended his hand. I carefully grasped it, mindful of my injured wrist.

“Let’s stop the recording here.”

He turned off the camera, then conjured a chair and desk with a spell. The texture and color were so lifelike it was fascinating.

I asked him,

“By the way… You didn’t actually teach me properly just now, did you?”

His instruction felt incomplete, like crucial parts had been omitted.

Kim Se-jin shook his head.

“No, I taught you properly. It’s just difficult. If it feels like something’s missing, it’s because this method requires talent. What I just showed you is called a ‘Sequence.’ The qualifications for it are extremely limited.”

“Sequence?”

“Yes. In Korean, you could call it ‘Connection.’ It refers to the link between mana and the brain itself, but ultimately, it’s a means to achieve a greater purpose. Like a prelude before the main act.”

I was a little dumbfounded.

“…If that’s the Sequence, then what’s the main act?”

Kim Se-jin pointed at his own eyes.

“The eyes. The ultimate form of spellcraft always comes down to the eyes. Spells manifested through the eyes are far more advanced than those through limbs.”

He continued,

“Think about it, Ha-woon. If you asked people whether they’d rather go blind or lose their limbs, most would gladly choose the latter. No—if forced to pick one, they’d beg you to take their limbs instead.”

A memory flashed through my mind. When I was temporarily paralyzed, I lost my vision for a while.

The terror of that was far worse than not being able to move.

“Instinctively, all humans know it. The eyes are the brain’s most perfect proxy, the window that sets us free. Limbs without vision are just trapped in the prison of flesh.”

Kim Se-jin stirred coffee into a teacup.

“Anyway, when this ‘Sequence’ connects, you reach ‘Visio Divina’—the eyes that witness miracles. That’s the path of a true mage.”

Mage… what?

I flinched.

“So you were teaching me how to become a mage?”

“Took you long enough to realize. You’re sharp in talent but slow in wit.”

Kim Se-jin chuckled.

“Mr. Ha-woon. Do you think today’s footage will make it far in the broadcast?”

He sipped his coffee, looking at me with a satisfied smirk.

“For now, you’re getting some hate. The editing’s making you look bad.”

“It’s only temporary. The masses go wild when a person’s natural narrative feels like a drama. That’s what you are right now, Seol Ha-woon.”

Suddenly, a question rose in my mind.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

Luckily, Kim Se-jin asked first.

“Uh… this is just a personal curiosity.”

It wasn’t about him.

“Can a Black Call be artificially triggered inside a labyrinth?”

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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