Chapter 131: The Secret Realm of Spirits (1)
I was descending rapidly. Just as before my return to Earth, the spirits on the 25th floor posed no challenge now. I breezed through them and checked the secret room.
The weapon obtained from the secret room was a greatsword.
[Executioner of the Worst]
[Attack Power: +33]
[A weapon that has massacred thousands. It is stained with the blood of its victims.]
Despite its high attack power, its size was correspondingly massive. It was so large that it could hinder movements within the labyrinth, so I planned to sell it to the shopkeeper.
Then, I encountered the boss.
[A mid-tier Dark Spirit appears.]
Crack.
[470 damage dealt to the mid-tier Dark Spirit.]
I quickly dispatched it. The spirit struggled with division and veils of darkness, but I saw through everything with the Eye of Synchronization, dodged, and brought it down.
[Obtained a Pitch-Black Robe.]
[Obtained ???]
[Used ???]
[Obtained a Blue Tome.]
Even though I was descending fast, I needed to check the items. I pulled out a staff and the tome.
[Robe of the Hex]
[Hex Magic: +4]
[Defense: +2]
[A robe casually discarded on Earth by a demon. Warlocks considered it a divine gift, cherishing it more than their lives.]
The robe I was wearing, the Robe of Stealth, granted invisibility for one second—a valuable item.
But now that I had learned invisibility and stealth techniques, it was practically useless. The new robe offered black magic and additional defense, so I was naturally inclined to switch.
[Blue Tome of Sorcery]
[Magic: +16]
[Chanting Speed: +15%]
[A tome with a blue hue, found deep within a forest, its original owner never found.]
While it provided a bonus to chanting speed, it was still a tome. For Taesan, who was closer to a swordsman, giving up a hand to wield it wasn’t worth it, so he planned to give it to Lilis.
After breaking through the 25th floor, I continued downward.
[Start of 26th Floor Quest.]
[Defeat the boss of the 26th floor and pass through.]
[Reward: Twin Swords of Curvature]
[Secret Reward: ???]
I met with the shopkeeper to sell unnecessary equipment, gathered some gold, and immediately proceeded through the labyrinth.
The monsters on the 26th floor were Earth Spirits.
As usual, I defeated them and moved on without stopping.
Crack.
The boss of the 28th floor fell. A Rainbow Spirit disintegrated into light.
The boss of the 28th floor was a Light Spirit. It moved at the speed of light, which was a bit tricky. If I hadn’t figured out the pattern, it would have taken a considerable amount of time.
[Obtained a Blue Opal Ring.]
[Obtained ???]
[Blue Opal Ring]
[Strength: +15]
[Agility: +15]
[Intelligence: +15]
[The power of nature grants deep and profound strength to the wearer.]
It was an excellent ring. To say its options were the best wasn’t an exaggeration.
I removed the Ring of Thorns, which had an attack power of 2, and replaced it with the new ring, then checked the secret reward.
[Bow made of Drake’s Tendons]
[Attack Power: +4]
[Accuracy: +30%]
[A bow so resilient that even the strong struggle to draw it fully. If one can draw it, it can unleash tremendous power, but it is exceedingly difficult.]
It was a powerful bow, but of little value to Taesan, who had learned magic. He stored it in his inventory for now.
Phew.
Taesan caught his breath.
[Should we take a break now? You’ve been descending quite fast.]
“There’s no point in dawdling.”
Taesan had descended through the labyrinth with the ferocity of a storm.
While he had never been leisurely in his descents, this time he had quickly cleared all secret rooms and hidden elements, reaching the 29th floor in just a day.
And he had gained quite a lot. Some equipment was similar or worse than what he was currently wearing, so he had to sell them, but he still acquired significant items.
Firstly, he found a pair of earrings.
[Earrings Saturated with the Blood of a Hundred]
[Defense: +2]
[An insane noble summoned a warlock to create these earrings. He became the last blood donor incorporated into them.]
[Recovers 20% of maximum health for every 100 enemies defeated.]
While the defense boost and healing ability were not game-changing, they were decent passive benefits.
He also obtained a necklace.
[White Rune Necklace]
[Defense: +15]
[Magic: +8]
[Intelligence: +25]
[A necklace made from the highest-grade white runes. Desired by every sorcerer in all magic towers.]
The magic attribute was high, and it also provided substantial defense and intelligence. The secret reward was worth more than its keep.
Finally, his bracelet was also upgraded.
[Mithril Bracelet]
[Attack Power: +15]
[Defense: +30]
[A bracelet made of mithril, excellent for both offensive and defensive purposes.]
Unquestionably, it was a sleek and superior piece of equipment.
Having descended three floors, he swapped out three pieces of equipment and gained four levels.
[Kang Taesan]
[Level: 65]
[Shield: 371/371]
[Health: 4250/4250]
[Mana: 788/788]
[Magi: 55/55]
[Strength: 1485]
[Intelligence: 1108]
[Agility: 1354]
[Attack Power: +188]
[Defense: +232]
[The subject is in optimal condition.]
Though leveling up was less frequent due to his high level relative to the floor, he had still significantly strengthened overall—a satisfying change.
Taesan frowned.
“But why haven’t they come yet?”
[What hasn’t?]
“The guys from the depths.”
The leaders of the Path of Sin.
It had been well over a month, and there was still no sign of them. Realizing what Taesan was referring to, the spirit muttered as if it were strange.
[It’s taking a long time? They would have come straight here if they’d heard the news. Are they that delayed?]
“Must be stuck on the floor you mentioned, right?”
[Probably. They’re still squirming around. Such foolish beings.]
The spirit clicked its tongue, its voice filled with contempt and disdain.
“I don’t mind.”
The later they came, the better for him. He would have time to collect everything worthwhile.
Then it was time to delve into the spells and black magic he had postponed. Taesan pulled out the black magic equipment he had acquired while descending and began to chant.
Suddenly, the space split, and the figure of a demon appeared.
[You’re back?]
“Thanks to you. It was very useful.”
The benefits of Hex Magic, which grew stronger with more investment of Magi, had proven to be an exceptional advantage, making it easier to handle the monsters.
[Hearing that makes me slightly less annoyed.]
The demon narrowed its eyes and murmured.
[You summoned me to acquire new magic, right? For that purpose… this should suffice.]
After inspecting the offerings Taesan had made, the demon bestowed darkness upon him.
[You have learned Mephisto’s Black Lightning.]
[A fine skill for you right now.]
“Thank you.”
It was a skill handpicked by a deity. It couldn’t be bad. Taesan expressed his gratitude. The demon looked down at him with a peculiar expression.
[…Quicker than expected.]
“Pardon?”
[The power within you. Is it because you visited the world of blacksmiths? It won’t be long before the seed sprouts.]
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
It was a cryptic comment. The demon shook its head.
[You don’t need to know now. Actually, it’s better you don’t. Forced growth can lead to rot.]
“Understood.”
Whatever it was, the demon preferred not to elaborate. Taesan didn’t pry further.
[You’ve heard the basic story from that mad combat fanatic, right?]
An unexpected remark. After a moment’s thought, Taesan realized its meaning.
“Are you referring to Lord Rakiratas?”
[Yes. That lunatic. You should have grasped the general situation.]
“Yes, well…
I’ve learned what I wanted to know.” The demon narrowed its eyes.
[Next time, I’ll be the one to descend. That’s the agreement.]
“Pardon?”
[So, win. I’m counting on you, Kang Taesan.]
With those words, the demon vanished. Left with only his remarks, Taesan chuckled dryly.
“What now?”
Although confusing, the words weren’t incomprehensible.
Descending likely referred to Earth. After his victory against a Grade B monster, Rakiratas had descended and blessed them.
Next time, it meant the demon would take on that role.
That implied another powerful monster would appear next time.
“Exactly what I was waiting for.”
For Taesan, who had gained Apostasy as a reward, it was nothing but good news.
He had tried using Apostasy during his descent and was astounded.
The skill truly was on another level. It was hard to outright say whether it was superior or inferior to Addition.
‘It’s not without drawbacks.’
To be honest, it was a bit disconcerting. But for such a reward, the challenge was more than worthwhile.
Taesan checked the skill the demon had given him.
[Basic Black Magic: Mephisto’s Black Lightning]
[Mana Cost: 30]
[Basic Magi Consumption: 30]
[Summon Mephisto’s black lightning to pierce your enemies. If the foe is weaker than Mephisto, they cannot evade it. Causes slight rigidity on impact.]
“An unavoidable instant-cast skill?”
That’s exactly what it sounded like. Taesan was taken aback by the skill’s extraordinary nature.
The consumption of Magi was significant, but if the skill was as powerful as Taesan believed, it would be worth much more.
With a satisfied expression, Taesan continued up the labyrinth. Panting, Lilis greeted him, and he offered the newly acquired tribute to learn a new spell.
[Basic Magic: Random Blink]
[Mana Cost: 40]
[Proficiency: 1%]
[Teleports you to a random location within a certain range centered on your current position. This skill cannot be used again for 10 minutes after activation.]
“What?”
Taesan couldn’t help but laugh after reading the description of the magic.
Random teleportation was an incredible skill. Disappearing from an opponent’s sight even momentarily made it highly valuable. Although random, being centered around himself allowed for some control of the variables.
It could be used to dodge attacks, create openings, or even rely on luck in otherwise unavoidable situations.
‘Is this really just basic magic?’
He became curiously eager to learn what the intermediate and advanced spells might entail.
“Goodbye.”
He waved goodbye to Lilis and continued his descent.
[Start of 29th Floor Quest]
[Defeat the boss of the 29th floor and pass through.]
[Reward: Ring of Obsession]
[Secret Reward: ???]
Crack.
He dealt with each challenge as he progressed. The secret reward on the 29th floor was a longsword. It wasn’t better than what Taesan was currently wielding, so it was destined for the shop.
With a substantial amount of gold accumulated, he could afford new equipment by the time he reached the 30th floor. With anticipation, he finished clearing the labyrinth.
And then he encountered the boss.
[A Distorted Homunculus Spirit appears.]
The malformed spirit twisted and coiled as it attacked Taesan.
[You have activated Random Blink.]
Vision briefly went dark, and his body shifted. He reappeared right beside the spirit. Quickly assessing the situation, he swung his sword.
It was tricky. The boss contorted its body to dodge Taesan’s attacks and morphed its flesh into sharp spikes to retaliate.
A boss on the 29th floor, typically a monster that required risking one’s life to barely defeat.
But that was a story for ordinary adventurers. Taesan, with his superior base stats and skill power, could achieve victory without significant harm.
“Well, then.”
Postponing the reward check, Taesan examined the walls of the boss room.
The 29th floor.
The deranged spirit had mentioned a hidden world of spirits here. It said to enter that place and bring back the root of a tree.