Chapter 112: Floor 24. The Guide of Sin (1)
“Hmm.”
Taesan stared intently at the system window.
It was the first time he had seen this description. Not just him, but normal and hard mode players hadn’t seen it either.
Only Lee Taeyeon had mentioned seeing this special window.
“Oh, you’re receiving this already? I got it much further down.”
The ghost muttered. It seemed like a privilege granted upon surpassing a certain level of growth.
“What should I choose?”
Taesan murmured. Six options, all of them appealing.
“What did you choose?”
“Me? I chose the equipment. They give pretty good stuff. Not on the level of the weapon I gave you or the ring you have, but something you’d only get after going down another 10 floors from the floor you belong to.”
That certainly made the equipment sound worthwhile. For a typical player, choosing equipment might have been the right answer.
“If it’s similar in value, a potion for proficiency could increase it by about 3 or 4 percent.”
That also had its merits. Currently, Taesan had skills that were just shy of 100% proficiency. Using it could achieve that mark.
But neither was particularly necessary.
Proficiency would eventually increase as one descended the dungeon. The process might be frustrating, but it wasn’t unattainable.
Of course, if there was a skill he urgently needed, it might have been different, but there wasn’t such a skill, so these options were lower in priority.
Equipment was similar. There was no reason to swap out for new gear when he could descend to the 30th floor without any issues.
Stats were the same. The value of other rewards outweighed the benefits of choosing this option.
Overall knowledge about the dungeon wasn’t that appealing either. Taesan had his past life experiences, remembered what Lee Taeyeon had babbled about, and had the ghost for a rough overview of everything.
So, the choice narrowed down to the last two options.
“Truth, and information.”
The truth likely involved the gods, the mage, monsters, and NPCs. Knowing them wouldn’t hurt Taesan, who was bound to encounter them.
Information wasn’t a bad choice either. There were conditions and limitations, but the ability to learn something specific held significant merit.
After some thought, Taesan made his decision.
“The sixth option.”
He was curious about the truth, but it wasn’t urgently necessary. Moreover, being closely related to the gods, he was likely to learn about it eventually.
As Taesan made his choice, the dungeon’s floor rose up. Bricks assembled into the shape of a large device.
“I am the servant of the great mage, the all-seeing Balbabamba.”
The device opened its brick-made eyes.
“O traveler descending the mage’s dungeon, what curiosity compels you to summon me?” “Huh. This thing answers? I had no idea.”
The ghost muttered in surprise, evidently familiar with the entity referred to as Balbabamba.
“Who’s that?”
“A sort of guide, providing basic strategies. It occasionally appears as you go deeper, offering guidance or information about the dungeon. Since it answered all questions and provided solutions, adventurers believed it knew everything about the dungeon.”
Everything.
The implication was significant. As if guessing Taesan’s thoughts, the ghost added,
“Some tried to overpower it, but were utterly obliterated without a trace. Since then, no one dared disturb it again.” “I am the mage’s servant. This place is the mage’s dungeon. Absolute laws are in my hands.”
Balbabamba spoke evenly.
“The same goes for knowledge. Ask your question. I am the knower of the dungeon. I shall provide an answer.”
“I’m curious about the conditions for acquiring skills.”
Taesan had learned numerous skills, some of which seemed nearly impossible or illogical to obtain. Given the ghost’s reaction, even adventurers who had descended to the deep levels didn’t know about such skills.
This piqued Taesan’s curiosity.
“Are skills designed by the mage himself, or do they form based on certain conditions?”
Was it about learning existing skills?
Or did Taesan earn these skills by achieving certain feats?
It was a “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” kind of question.
“The question has been received.”
Bricks forming Balbabamba collided violently, aligning piece by piece like assembling a puzzle, and then the collision ceased. Balbabamba opened its eyes.
“…I see the reason for your question.”
The brick-made pupils seemed to carry a peculiar aura.
“Such use was possible? He scoffed at it as a meaningless endeavor when creating it, but it seems it was a hasty judgment. To see the result before my eyes…”
“So, what’s the answer?”
“The answer is: skills are not pre-made. They are created based on achievements made.”
“Is that so.”
“Human, spirit, demon, among many other races. When they achieve something extraordinarily or repeatedly perform a certain action, skills emerge. Once a skill is formed, it becomes fixed, allowing others to learn it. That is the dungeon’s skill, the grace of the mage.”
It was difficult to believe all skills were anticipated and created in advance. The creation of skills was an ongoing process.
Depending on what Taesan did, he could obtain countless skills that were unattainable in his past life.
Taesan smiled.
He had considered various experiments in his past life but hadn’t been able to conduct them due to lack of time, space, or other conditions. Now, testing all those conditions seemed worthwhile.
Balbabamba watched Taesan, who seemed delighted, with a peculiar gaze.
“Was this the intended design? Interesting. Are your curiosities satisfied?”
Taesan nodded. Balbabamba continued.
“Then there’s a condition.”
In exchange for the information, there would be conditions and restrictions, as previously explained.
“Do not speak of the information you have learned to anyone. If the information leaks, I will come to kill you.”
“Alright.”
Taesan agreed calmly. It was information he had no intention of sharing anyway.
“What about the ghost?”
“That entity is already dead and bound to the dungeon. It doesn’t fall under the restrictions. However, should it attempt to speak, I will act.” “A threat? I have no such intentions, so don’t worry.” “Then it’s settled. Having answered your question, I shall now descend.”
Thump.
The bricks collapsed. They began to reassemble on the floor, and soon, the dungeon’s floor was smoothly restored.
“The mage.”
The creator of the dungeon. The ghost didn’t know much about him, and Lee Taeyeon hadn’t said much either, indicating she too hadn’t accessed the truth.
“I’m curious.”
It wasn’t something he could learn immediately.
He planned to find out gradually.
With that sorted, it was time to check the reward for clearing the 23rd floor.
[Snake Skin Belt]
[Strength + 10]
[Defense + 15]
[A belt made from an unknown snake capable of crushing trees.]
It offered high defense and additional strength. Not a bad piece of equipment.
[Using ???]
[You have obtained the Gauntlet used by the Warrior.]
[Gauntlet used by the Warrior]
[Attack + 30]
[A gauntlet favored by the warrior before he was known as such. It contains his talent and growth.]
The attack bonus was substantial. The current Gauntlet of Power he wore could deal five times the damage, but it was restricted to once a month.
Considering that, it was worth the swap.
“I wish some magic items would appear.”
He hadn’t learned new magic for a while. Considering that even basic magic was valuable at this point, it was regrettable.
But wishing alone wouldn’t make it happen. Dungeon items were either random or predetermined. Taesan was content to wait patiently.
After clearing the 23rd floor, Taesan went to find the spirit.
“Hihi! You’re here!”
“Here.”
Taesan handed over the superior spirit’s core. The crazed spirit laughed ecstatically.
“Hi, hihi! Finally! Finally!”
The crazed spirit greedily swallowed the core.
Boom.
A small vibration emanated from within the spirit. The white body that seemed about to burst slowly settled.
“Ha, ha…”
The laughter slowly subsided.
The unstable energy that had been swirling around the crazed spirit almost vanished.
“Ha.”
The spirit exhaled. The madness that had overflowed just moments ago was now nowhere to be seen.
“We’re almost there.”
The spirit spoke in a gloomy voice.
“The last step is the 29th floor. There’s a hidden world there. Use this in the boss room, and you’ll understand.”
The spirit flicked its finger. A transparent energy embedded itself in Taesan.
[You have learned the Spirit Skill [Natural Harmony].]
“The land of the spirits. The paradise for those who fled. What lies there. The root that sustains that land. Bring it to me. With that… it’s almost over.”
Taesan left the room. Laughter continued behind him.
“It’s your fault. Yours. Yours…”
Ignoring the sob-like voice, Taesan stepped outside.
“I wonder.”
Why the crazed spirit hated spirits so much was beyond him. It seemed unwilling to explain.
Perhaps he would learn more upon reaching the 29th floor.
He went up to the 20th floor to find the blacksmith, Hapran.
“You’re here?”
Hapran handed over a pair of shoes as if he had been waiting.
“Take these.”
“Already made?”
“The ore itself was tough to refine. But using it in conjunction with the spirit core made it easier.”
The colorless ore shoes emanated a strange energy. It seemed to be the aura of spirit gems.
[Shoes made from Golem Ore and forged by a spirit]
[Attack + 15]
[Defense + 40]
[Agility + 30]
[Movement Speed + 15%]
[Action Speed + 8%]
[The energy of spirits can be contained.]
[Valuable items crafted by a skilled blacksmith.]
Attack bonus of 15 on shoes, not a weapon.
The defense was higher than the armor he was currently wearing.
Plus, 30 agility. Such stats hadn’t been seen on any other equipment. Taesan chuckled as he read through, but one sentence caught his eye.
“The energy of spirits can be contained.”
“What’s this part?”
“Exactly what it says. You can imbue it. Think of it like your weapon.”
The ghost’s weapon. Carvert’s relic could contain magic, into which he had placed a spark of flame. These shoes, though specific to spirit energy, could also contain something.
“I’m not sure what to put in, but if you acquire something, bring it. I’ll craft it for you.”
“I don’t think we need to wait.”
He had something on him. Taesan showed Hapran the Unbound Spirit Essence.
“Oh?”
Hapran’s eyes lit up at the fluttering wind energy.
“Interesting. Just wait a moment.”
Hapran took the shoes and worked in a corner. After a short wait, he returned with a satisfied smile.
“So that’s what it was. My curiosity is satisfied.”
[Shoes made from Golem Ore and forged by a spirit]
[Attack + 15]
[Defense + 40]
[Agility + 30]
[Movement Speed + 15%]
[Action Speed + 8%]
[You can release all constraints binding you. This skill can only be used once a day.” “Crafted by a skilled blacksmith.]
“Oho.”
Taesan was impressed. A very beneficial ability had been imbued.
A sort of debuff removal technique. The extent of “all constraints” wasn’t clear, but given it was written as “all,” the range seemed quite broad.
Being able to momentarily release oneself was a significant advantage in battle. With a relatively short cooldown of once a day, it was a valuable skill.
Hapran seemed pleased with his work, smiling joyfully.
“It’s been a while since I had fun crafting. If only the others brought unique materials like you, but alas, they’re mostly useless.”
Hapran extended his hand.
“Three thousand gold. Pay up.”
For equipment of this caliber, three thousand gold as a crafting fee was a bargain.
Taesan willingly paid. Hapran happily stowed away the gold.
“If you find more unique items, bring them. I’ll craft them cheaply.”
“Thanks for your hard work.”
Taesan left Hapran’s room and immediately descended to the 24th floor.
[24th Floor Quest Begins.]
[Defeat the boss of the 24th floor and pass through.]
[Reward: The Staff of Baal]
[Secret Reward: ???]
He was now in the mid-20s.
The monsters on the 24th floor were dark spirits. They obscured sight and attempted to swallow flesh with their dark hues. If Taesan hadn’t been so strong, they would have been a difficult type of monster to deal with. He methodically dispatched them one by one.
When he was about halfway through, he sensed something. Taesan stopped clearing monsters and murmured.
“It’s about time.”
“I can’t spoil an interesting show. I’ll hide for a bit.”
The ghost attached itself to the ceiling of the dungeon, practically invisible unless focused on.
“Huh?”
The door opened, and an adventurer entered. Seeing Taesan, the adventurer was taken aback.
“Who are you?”
A man with blond hair asked. Instead of answering, Taesan activated a skill.
[You have activated Scout.]
[Horion Arban]
[Level: 65]
[HP: 3213]
[Equipped Weapon: Sword]
[The Subdued.]
Information that hadn’t been visible before became clear. This was the power of scouting.
‘His HP is similar.’
Despite a 10 level difference, Taesan’s HP was slightly higher.
It was evidence of the trials Taesan had undergone. Horion frowned at Taesan’s silence.
“Who are you? Are you from the second tier? Daring to crawl here? You’re asking for death?”
The rules of the Guide of Sin were absolute. The moment someone from the second tier set foot below the 20th floor, they were immediately targeted for elimination.
Yet, there were those who risked it all, drawn by the allure of power, staking their lives and reaping the rewards.
Horion assumed Taesan was one of them, an unfamiliar face because he paid no attention to the second tier.
Taesan shook his head.
“I’m not a Guide of Sin.”
“Then who are you? You couldn’t have avoided the eyes of those below. Just die quietly.”
Convinced Taesan was lying, Horion spoke dismissively and charged.
The difference in strength between an adventurer of the 30th floor and one of the 24th was clear. Moreover, Horion had strengthened himself to his limits by staying on the 30th floor for a long time. He believed Taesan couldn’t block a single strike.
Taesan moved his hand.
The tip of his sword met Horion’s, and the trajectory of the force wavered.
“What, what?”
Horion’s arm was thrown open. Effortlessly opened, leaving Horion dumbfounded.
Taesan’s fist swung. Horion’s face was crushed.