In a place called the Void, beings who had reached Supreme-rank had gathered together and brought down the Pitch Black Labyrinth.
The birth of a new faction…
The phrase felt familiar.
He had definitely seen it before.
It was the message that appeared when the Church of Eternal Life was created.
[You are beings bound by ties.]
[A secret society is born!]
[A new faction is born!]
[Your achievements are being measured.]
[Order or chaos…]
[The measurement of the scales is completed.]
[The nature of the secret society has been determined.]
[The faction's alignment is chaotic good.]
The birth of a secret society.
To be more precise, it could be seen as a faction.
Seol had amassed such immense power that he could no longer be considered an individual. He had become a walking faction.
[The Era's Might possessed by the secret society is being determined.]
[The Era's Might is determined by the stories held by the existence.]
[The secret society has been granted Era's Might.]
[A bounty has been set. If a member of the secret society dies, a portion of the Era's Might will be transferred to the killer.]
[The name of the secret society must be declared to the world.]
[What is the name of this great secret society you belong to?]
After a moment of contemplation, he smiled. He'd thought of something funny.
Grin…
It was a name he missed.
A name that would never exist again…
[Veil… The name is Veil.]
[The secret society has been named 'Veil.']
[The secret society 'Veil' generates a certain amount of Era's Might simply by existing.]
[The Veil can acquire more Era's Might based on its activities.]
[A mid-journey settlement is being made.]
[You have obtained Pitch Black Treasure.]
[Pitch Black Treasure is being stored in the Void.]
If it was something he obtained after breaking through the Pitch Black Labyrinth, it would probably take an entire day to examine.
Perhaps they were worried that a treasure so valuable would be stuck inside the Void's vault, left to collect dust.
The labyrinth handed one item directly to Seol.
[You have acquired Pitch Black Seal.]
[Pitch Black Seal embraces Flagellant’s Seal.]
The pattern of the Flagellant’s Seal started to change.
Whoosh…
A pattern with the shape of dark mist.
[[Wonder: Pitch Black's Seal]
Rank: Wonder
Recommended Level: N/A
Resistance: N/A
Durability: 400/400
Weight: 0.1kg
A seal given to those who have overcome the Pitch Black Labyrinth. It has absorbed the Flagellant's Seal.
Basic Effect: It doesn't occupy an equipment slot. This item’s durability recovers over time.
Bonus Effect: Ignore curses from Abomination-quality items. The basic stats granted by Abomination-quality items are doubled.]
Along with the acquisition of the seal, an achievement message appeared.
[You have earned the inaugural achievement 'The one who broke Darkness.']
[You have earned the inaugural title「Pitch-Black」.]
…
'First? But Shin Kang… Ah!'
Shin Kang had left without completing the labyrinth. Therefore, Seol was the first to conquer the Pitch Black Labyrinth.
Well, to be more precise, it was closer to destruction than clearing it.
Lucia, Belian, and Beldre didn't receive the seal.
Lucia and the sisters approached him.
Thud…
Lucia buried her head and muttered.
"G-God…"
"…"
She had completely lost it.
Sensing the mood, Beldre and Belian also buried their heads like Lucia.
Well, it must have been a bizarre sight for them—the sudden appearance of supreme beings and their master.
It was absurd to think that these dangerous individuals would calmly return to the world.
They must have realized they had to leave this place—even if it meant pretending to be insane.
'Well, they didn't cause much harm, but…'
Seol thought that their reverence might be useful.
"Leave… One day, I will call you."
"Yes… Yes…"
Belian and Beldre had a connection with one of the factions, the Artifact Association. And Lucia was quite strong.
How to use them was something he could think of later on. For now, he needed to establish a means of contact.
At times like this, there was an appropriate method.
- Ugh! Exchanging friends doesn't look cool!
- Hey! How dare you say that to God?! Even a God needs friends!
- Even a God doesn't want to eat alone!
Without having gained anything, they left the Pitch Black Labyrinth.
To be more precise, they left with only minor aftereffects, which could be considered a significant gain in itself.
Swoosh…
[It's time to decide on the symbol of the secret society.]
[Imagine a symbol you desire.]
[It can be modified later on.]
For the Veil, it had obviously had to be that pattern.
Swoosh…
As Seol envisioned the pattern, a small brooch was given to each member—one that could be attached to a cloak, robe, or any piece of clothing.
It was merely decorative and didn't occupy any equipment slot.
"A crow? Isn't that too gloomy?"
Karen grumbled, but Seol smiled and brushed it off.
For the Veil, there was no other symbol but the crow that could be used.
[The final reward.]
…
'There's more?'
Because he had spent a long time inside the labyrinth, the rewards seemed endless.
[Your existence is being defined.]
[You are no longer a Shadow Summoner.]
[You are a Crow.]
* * *
'Ah…'
He had a feeling it would come to this.
After completing a Legacy Adventure, a new name for your job was decided based on your achievements so far.
A new framework and path were presented. If he had just focused on summoning, he might have obtained a higher job in the Shadow Summoner class, but Seol had awakened a wide variety of abilities.
That's why he needed a job that could wield all of them.
He was neither a Shadow Summoner nor a Shadow Swordsman—he was a Crow.
A pure class name unrelated to the Veil.
Now, with a talent for both sword arts and summoning arts, he could expand his realm without penalties.
[The Skill Tree is being reorganized.]
[You will recover skill points based on the branches you've developed so far.]
[Fruits are being born.]
[You have been granted a Forbidden Fruit.]
Forbidden Fruit was a fruit that allowed you to reset your skill point investment.
It seems that he was being told to use the Forbidden Fruit to reclaim the skill points he had used in his previous skill tree.
[A Crow is a versatile being active on all sides of the battlefield.]
[Passive: Cloth Specialist has changed to Passive: Leather Specialist.]
"…"
However, among the changes, this was a serious issue.
While he wouldn't have any penalty for continuing to use cloth, it was clear that leather would be far more efficient for future progress.
In close combat, the material of your armor could significantly alter the dynamics of battle.
'If it's going to change… it might be better to change everything.'
This was something he needed to think about slowly.
And finally, all of the rewards had been given.
Now, it was time to leave.
But then, Shin Yu called Seol.
- Seol, could you give me a paper?
'A paper?'
Seol handed Shin Yu an old piece of paper and a brush. Shin Yu was probably more comfortable with a brush than a pen.
'Ah…'
He finally understood what Shin Yu was trying to do.
It was an act performed during ceremonies for the deceased.
There was a superstition that if you burn a piece of paper with words left unsaid to the deceased, it will reach those who have already departed.
- I'm done… could you…
"Burn it?"
Shin Yu hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Psst…
The edge of the paper began to char.
The words written on it burned away and turned to embers.
- Shin Rip, Shin Hyun, my hyungs. Are you at peace in that place you've gone ahead of me? Everything here is new, so I'm feeling a bit anxious. But I think I'll get used to it soon. Everything feels good.
Along with the burning paper, the days spent in the Pitch Black Labyrinth also emitted smoke.
- And… because Seol is by my side, I feel that I might be able to fly even further than Kang hyung. For now, it's just a feeling…
Shin Yu remembered everything that had happened here.
- My hyungs, I was too young to accept my death and yours. But I think I understand now. And… that it doesn't mean that our story has ended.
When it's time to leave, someone should leave.
- Our path continues. With my sword, Shin Kang hyung-nim's sword. If the farewell is long, the regret will be long, too. So I'll keep it short.
It was the second death faced after the first one.
- I will always miss you.
Shin Yu's words echoed back.
- Goodbye, my hyungs…
He honored them the best way he could.
His hand swayed left and right.
He sent off the departed.
[The Pitch Black Labyrinth is collapsing.]
[The Pitch Black Labyrinth disappears into history.]
WHOOM…
As they exited through the glowing door, leaving the collapsing labyrinth behind, the Federation's personnel fell into chaos upon seeing the collapse.
"It's collapsing!"
"Step back!"
There had been no news for two years, so this change must have been a huge shock for them.
Everyone took a breath of fresh air.
Oof…
A breath escaped.
The weather was cold.
In fact, it was too cold.
- Since he's specialized in leather, wearing cloth will only result in him getting pierced, hahaha.
- Is Shin Yu wriggling, asking him to be put in the pocket?
Whir…
And… it was snowing.
A winter noon that would never end.
- Seol, it's snowing.
"…"
- It's snowing…
Seol smiled.
Contrary to the cold weather, he could see Shin Yu's heart becoming warmer—and so was his.
It was the snow he wished would never stop—yet it was the same snow that had already stopped once.
"Yes… it's winter."
When it snowed, it felt like she was by his side. That alone made Seol feel better.
Now, his old comrades stood beside him.
Jamad, who was covered in a large cloth, said.
"So, where's the Veil headed now?"
"More importantly, can you call that covering your body?"
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
"I'll pass on petty nitpicking…"
"No, it isn't petty at all. Please, I'm begging you. Haven't you left something in the Void? For example, your conscience…"
"Quiet, you're drawing attention."
"That's why I'm saying you're too eye-catching… You're like a walking mountain."
Once again, the elf and the troll were discussing.
Seol enjoyed that pleasant noise as he caught the falling snow with his right hand.
Shin Yu savored the cold.
He exhaled and said.
"We're going back."
Seol clenched the snow tightly, feeling it melt into water. It was just like him, who had changed entirely.
At the end of the crossroads, a crow takes flight—bound to fulfill a promise that had yet to be kept.
Once again, the change of seasons had started.