Chapter 105: The 21st Floor. The Mad Spirit (1)
As Taesan descended, he opened the community forum. It had been quite some time since he entered Begweseta. Enough time had passed for other Solo Mode players to experience some changes as well.
[Taesan[Solo]: Are you still alive?]
[Taewon[Solo]: Huh?]
[Junhyuk[Solo]: What? We thought you were gone since you hadn’t said anything.]
[Taesan[Solo]: Just went somewhere for a bit. So, how is it?]
As Taesan expected, Kang Junhyuk and Taewon were making quick progress down the levels.
[Taesan[Solo]: Reached the 6th floor yet?]
[Taewon[Solo]: Yes. Currently dealing with Lizardmen. The swamp is annoying, but it’s manageable.]
Taewon’s response was calm. Perhaps due to overcoming Baltazar’s trial, he seemed more mature.
[Taesan[Solo]: Hurry down. Got something to tell you on the 8th floor.]
The 8th floor hosts the Trial of Pride. Since one could opt out of the trial, the danger was minimal, making it worthwhile to discuss.
[Taewon[Solo]: Yes, thank you, Mr. Taesan.]
Following that, they exchanged various topics. Taewon and Kang Junhyuk, seemingly curious about many things, asked Taesan various questions. Being deeper into the dungeon than them, they were interested in the lower levels’ information.
Taesan answered their questions, naturally leading to discussions about other players.
[Taesan[Solo]: Now there are a few who’ve cleared the 2nd floor.]
[Taewon[Solo]: Yes. …But many have died too.]
Clearing the 2nd floor was remarkably faster and in greater numbers than before. However, reaching the end of the dungeon still seemed a distant possibility. Without special means, excluding forced return, it was impossible to return to Earth.
[Taesan[Solo]: Good luck then.]
Taesan closed the community forum and reached the 20th floor.
There, in the safety zone, was Lillith.
“Oh? You’re alive? Thought you died since I hadn’t seen you for days.”
“Just had somewhere to be.”
“Phew. Good. It’d be a shame if you died already. There’s still so much to do.”
Lillith waved happily.
“See you next time!”
Taesan left her greeting behind and headed towards the boss room of the 20th floor.
There, the Guide of Sin he had spared, Gagorat, awaited.
“…You’ve come.”
“Yes.”
Taesan nodded, and Gagorat swallowed hard.
“Now… are you going down?”
“Have to.”
Their purpose in entering the labyrinth was to conquer it. Gagorat gave a wry smile and said,
“Then there’s something I must tell you.”
“About the Guides of Sin on the 21st floor?”
“Yes.”
Taesan had captured the Guides of Sin and made them agree not to pass on information about him to those below.
However, that agreement was only with adventurers up to the 20th floor, the second tier. He was about to enter the 21st floor, the domain of third-tier adventurers.
“Third-tier adventurers think you’re strong but dead. If they meet you, it’ll cause trouble.”
If those thought dead appeared alive, the second-tier adventurers would be revealed as liars to the third tier, who would immediately inform the leaders.
That would be the end. There was no winning against the leaders who had descended deeper.
So, Gagorat intended to provide a means to avoid the adventurers.
“Don’t worry.”
But Taesan dismissed Gagorat’s concerns. Gagorat, panicked, tried to interject.
“Do you plan to kill them all? That won’t work. If a Guide of Sin dies, the information will definitely reach the leaders. They will come down.”
Neither encountering nor killing them was an option.
“Moreover, even for you, Taesan, the third-tier adventurers are… not weak.”
Jagan had died by Taesan’s hand, not because he was weak, but because he underestimated Taesan and was careless. Against multiple third-tier adventurers, Taesan would indeed be in danger.
“The best option is to avoid them.”
“I know, but I have no intention of avoiding them.”
Avoiding adventurers was possible. Unlike the second tier, which required finding new adventurers, the third tier likely congregated in one location. Simply passing by that location would suffice.
However, stealthily bypassing meant forfeiting rewards. Taesan was not inclined to accept unnecessary losses.
Gagorat, desperate, tried to intervene. If Taesan caused a stir, it would also be revealed that he had lied. That would mean death for him too.
He was trying to persuade Taesan when Taesan said,
“I’ve already prepared a way.”
“A way…?”
“Yes. So just stay put. Don’t try to interfere unnecessarily.”
Warned by Taesan, he proceeded to descend to the 21st floor.
[You have exited the entrance area of the labyrinth.]
[Creatures that cannot be killed with blades or brought down with magic exist here. This place is a confluence of darkness and light.]
[21st Floor Quest Begins.]
[Defeat the boss of the 21st floor to proceed.] [Reward: Spirit Orb] [Secret Reward: ???]
The 21st floor. A place referred to as the third tier by adventurers.
It was a level where one could arguably say they had ventured beyond the lower depths, and Taesan knew what awaited him here.
He made his way through the labyrinth. Upon opening a door, he was greeted by a wave of hot air.
[The low-tier Fire Spirit has appeared.]
There was a flickering orb of flame hovering in the air. Taesan drew his sword.
Spirits.
Taewon had mentioned their appearance. Though there were talks of Spirit Kings and such further down, that was a story for later.
As Taesan recalled what she had told him, the spirit took notice of him.
The spirit’s body swelled, and soon, balls of flame were shot out like a shotgun.
Taesan leaped into the air, using air dash to charge at the spirit and slashed down with his sword.
However, no damage appeared. The split spirit quickly reformed into one.
‘As expected.’
Just as Taewon had said. Taesan didn’t panic and maintained his distance.
Spirits were impervious to physical attacks according to Taewon. Despite various efforts, nothing had worked, suggesting another method was necessary.
Taesan tried swinging his sword a few more times without effect, and even using skills yielded no different outcome.
As Taewon had described, physical attacks truly had no effect on spirits.
‘What about this, then?’
Blue light enveloped Taesan’s sword.
Power gained in Begweseta. With the sword imbued with aura, he sliced the spirit in two.
Fizz.
The spirit’s form distorted momentarily before returning to its original state.
‘That didn’t work either.’
Taesan backed off, launching Frost Arrows and Scorching Orbs. Both ice and flame passed through the fire spirit.
As before, there was no effect. The spirit remained as it was.
‘Just as the description said.’
Entering the 21st floor, it was noted that magic would not bring down these beings. Taesan had just wanted to confirm this himself for a clearer understanding.
There was another way to deal with spirits. And Taesan knew it.
Before that, he wanted to try something he possessed.
‘Let’s see about divine power and this.’
[You have activated Marbas’s False Flame.]
Without much expectation, Taesan activated the dark magic. Since magic was ineffective, there was no reason to believe dark magic would be any different.
A substance in the shape of flame poured over the spirit.
[The low-tier Fire Spirit takes 106 damage.]
Ooooh!
The spirit shuddered as if in agony.
Taesan was surprised to see the damage notification.
“Damage went through?”
[Simple.]
The ghost clarified Taesan’s confusion.
[Spirits are born of nature. Thus, attacks derived from nature have no effect on them. Aura is ultimately a gift from the gods to the world, so it doesn’t work. But dark magic comes from demons.]
“So, because it’s not natural, it works?”
[It’s a bit more complex, but that’s the basic idea. That’s why demons can descend through the third tier a bit more comfortably.]
The conclusion was that dark magic could defeat spirits. Taesan once again harnessed dark magic, this time using all his available demonic energy.
[You have activated Marbas’s False Flame.]
The false flame erupted. The spirit tried to evade, but the room-engulfing false flame left no room for escape.
Oooooooh!
[The low-tier Fire Spirit takes 302 damage.] [You have defeated the low-tier Fire Spirit.] [You have obtained the core of the spirit.]
“That worked.”
It was an unexpected victory.
Taesan quickly began to assess the situation.
“But it’s not very sustainable.”
His current stock of demonic energy was too low. Using all of it just managed to defeat one spirit, making it impractical for descending through the labyrinth.
‘I need to move as planned.’
Taesan continued through the labyrinth rooms. Fire spirits appeared intermittently, but he bypassed all of them. His sheer stats allowed him to easily move past.
Soon, Taesan reached an outer room.
[You seem to know well. No need to explain then. The strategy for the 21st floor is exactly this.]
The ghost seemed familiar with the situation, not surprised by Taesan’s actions.
Spirits are impervious to both physical force and magical power. Taesan had the means to defeat them using dark magic, but it was more of a workaround.
So, there was another method.
Taesan opened the door to the outer room. A mad laughter echoed.
[Hehe! Hehehe! Hehe!]
A white spirit spun around in the middle of the room, its design simplistic, almost cartoonish, which might have been considered cute if not for the madness in its laughter.
[Hehe! A visitor! Hello!]
[You have encountered a Mad Spirit.]
[Hello! Nice to meet you!]
The white spirit shouted with a laughter full of madness. Taesan calmly spoke.
“I want to descend through the labyrinth.”
[Descend?]
The spirit tilted its head, seemingly unable to grasp Taesan’s words.
“I want to defeat the spirits to do that.”
[Spirits? Defeat?]
For a moment, deep hatred flashed in the spirit’s eyes.
[Defeat them! Destroy those who abandoned me! Kill them and take everything!]
The white spirit roared with a face filled with rage and madness.
[He’s the same as ever.]
The ghost sighed, having encountered the white spirit before.
The mad white spirit gestured.
[Five forward, third on the left! There’s a hidden room there! It houses a golem created by the king who abandoned me! Avoid the golem and bring back the hidden core! Then, I’ll grant you power!]
[Sub-quest started.]
[The Mad Spirit harbors hatred towards everything that made it this way. The spirit wishes for you to bring back water from the natural spring guarded by a golem.]
[Reward: A skill to attack spirits.]
