Chapter 134: The Secret Realm of Spirits. (4)
[At best, they’re just strong apostles or beings of similar stature. Otherwise, they are simply powerful entities. It’s hard to inflict significant damage on you otherwise.]
“Stature, huh?”
The knowledge gained through becoming an apostle faintly lingered in his mind.
A transcendent breaks free from all mortal shackles and ascends to a lofty position.
Reaching that level, they exist in a dimension far beyond mortals, where attacks from the latter have no effect. Thousands, even tens of thousands of powerful mortals could gather, and yet, they would fall with but a simple gesture—the gap between a transcendent and a mortal.
Apostles contracted with such transcendent beings receive their power. Although diminished, the stature of the transcendent prevents mortal attacks from having full effect.
[Normally, your level wouldn’t have allowed you to become this strong… but you’re an anomaly.]
The spirit spoke indifferently. Taesan clenched his fist.
“But it’s not omnipotent.”
[It has no downsides, but it doesn’t only have advantages either.]
Becoming an apostle had boosted his power by about 30%. It wasn’t a low increase by any means—a significant enhancement. It was enough to handle most formidable enemies.
However, he wasn’t at the level to overcome an overwhelmingly superior opponent.
While the damage was reduced due to the difference in stature, if there were simply a difference in level or stats, it meant little. He would just take more hits and lose.
[Still, this should be enough. What more could you ask for?]
“I know that.”
In fact, it was nonsensical that he had managed to defeat a skeleton. Without apostleship, ninety out of a hundred times, he would have lost.
As his level increased, so would the amount of his stats, making it a long-term beneficial skill. Wishing for more than this was mere greed.
Having finished his assessments, Taesan descended to the 25th floor to find a blacksmith.
“Can you check these two items?”
“Let me see.”
Taesan handed over the Orb of the Abyss and a burnt seed. Halfryn stroked his chin as he examined the Orb of the Abyss.
“Obsession… more like a curse, isn’t it? It would work in a pair of shoes?”
“What’s the effect?”
“Anyone who steps on the ground you’ve walked on will be afflicted with all sorts of curses. Unless they’re exceptionally strong, they’ll suffer considerably.”
“Ho.”
It wasn’t bad. It meant he could limit his opponent’s movements during combat.
“Then, let’s go with that.”
“Give me the shoes, and I’ll make them. And this…”
Halfryn looked skeptically at the burnt seed.
“Where did you get this?”
“Just as described.”
“Hmm.”
Halfryn chuckled.
“A king of spirits. You’ve captured one that received their power? That’s uncertain.”
He held the seed.
“This could be used as material for the Dragon’s Claw you gave me. That was fast. You’ve already collected three.”
“How many more do you think I need?”
“Maybe one or two more. I thought it wouldn’t be made until at least the fiftieth floor.”
Halfryn murmured with an incredulous expression.
Two more. It wasn’t too far off. With a little more patience, he could obtain equipment incomparable to anything he had before.
Taesan handed over the shoes with anticipation.
“Start with these then.”
“Alright. I’ll make them after I finish some things.”
Leaving Halfryn behind, Taesan ascended the labyrinth. Returning to the 21st floor, he found the crazed spirit waiting with a gloomy expression.
[You’ve come?]
“Yeah.”
Taesan handed over a darkened root. The spirit took it with trembling eyes.
[You really… did it.]
The spirit clenched its eyes shut.
[Have you heard about me?]
“Roughly. What kind of being a spirit is, and how you came to exist.”
[I see.]
The spirit murmured in a somber voice.
[I was born this way. The first thing I saw was the contemptuous gaze of my kind, and the first sensation I felt was pain and oppression. But I was content. I believed I was part of them, that being together in any form was enough… but it wasn’t.]
According to the skeleton, the crazed spirit was a tool created by the king of spirits to maintain its own spirit’s identity. The crazed spirit began to sob.
[Everyone abandoned me. I was left alone in the spirit realm. That’s when I realized, to them, I was not a fellow spirit. To them, I was worth no more than a leaf on the roadside.]
The sobbing stopped. A fierce glow shone through its drooped head.
[So, I will seek vengeance.]
“Is that so?”
Taesan did not say more. The spirit raised its head and smiled bitterly.
[I know. It’s something I cannot achieve.]
The king of spirits is powerful. Being this deep in the labyrinth signifies great strength, and Taesan assessed that even with hundreds of years of effort, this small spirit could not reach even the feet of its ruler.
The spirit seemed well aware of this too.
[I might have found some peace and continued living with it. But… entering this place wasn’t for that. I contracted for vengeance.]
All NPCs in the labyrinth held desires and made contracts with wizards.
For the spirit, it was vengeance.
[It may be impossible for me, but you are different.]
The spirit’s eyes burned with fervor as it looked at Taesan.
[You can do it. You can kill the king.]
Crack.
The spirit crushed the root in its hand. The power within the root seeped into the spirit. Its body gradually turned into an intangible haze.
[Sub-quest completed.]
A voice echoed from the mist.
[They made me a tool. So, as a tool, I will enact my vengeance.]
The condensed mist rushed towards Taesan. He watched quietly as the mist enveloped him, and eventually seeped into his weapon.
[This is the path I have chosen.]
With that final voice, no more presence of the spirit was felt.
[A vengeance-seeking spirit has imbued your weapon.]
[The weapon’s effect has changed.]
The quest that spanned the entire 20th floor was concluded. Taesan examined the artifact infused with the spirit of Carvert.
[Oh… This is unexpected.]
The spirit murmured in surprise.
[The contractor itself was the quest reward? This is… quite unique.]
“What happens now?”
The crazed spirit was no mere NPC. It existed at the entrance to the 21st floor, offering adventurers skills that could harm spirits, a so-called essential NPC.
With its disappearance, adventurers entering the 21st floor would find no means to attack the spirit. The spirit made a thoughtful noise.
[This is the first time I’ve seen this. I’m not sure what to do. There are several managers of the labyrinth; perhaps they will handle it?]
As soon as he finished speaking, the labyrinth’s floor began to rise. It assembled like puzzle pieces, forming a giant apparatus.
A servant of the wizard who created the labyrinth, Valvambamba, appeared before Taesan.
[A long-awaited liberation, and it’s you again?]
[Huh? Why have you sprung up?]
Startled by Valvambamba’s appearance, the spirit calmly replied.
[Because the contractor who managed the 21st floor has disappeared. That vacancy must be filled.]
[I didn’t know that was part of it.]
[It’s my duty as well.]
The labyrinth’s floor buzzed. Soon, where the crazed spirit had been, a small column appeared.
[I’ll need to set up a temporary quest line. Take care then. Human.]
Having finished his task, Valvambamba disappeared.
The spirit chuckled.
[That was clean.]
He appeared like lightning and vanished just as quickly. But this revealed one thing.
‘The labyrinth’s maintenance is ongoing.’
NPCs, called contractors, handed quests to adventurers. But contractors were not eternally bound beings. Like the spirit and the spirit, they moved and disappeared for their desires.
Valvambamba had filled the void left by the departed spirit.
It was likely that the spirit’s place had also been filled by something else.
Not critically important information, but it was stored in his mind.
It might come in handy later.
So, what had the spirit sacrificed to give him?
It was time to check.
[Carvert’s Artifact: The Sword Inherited with Ancestor’s Blood]
[An artifact from a world now perished. It has claimed the lives of many royals.]
[Attack Power +4]
[Against all enemies, Attack Power +15]
[A spirit craving vengeance has imbued it. Attack Power +3]
[Damage +20% against spirits]
[Damage +40% against the Spirit King, enabling the spirit skill [Abandoned Blade].]
[This effect can be transferred to another weapon at any time.]
“Huh.”
[Huh?]
Taesan paused. The spirit was at a loss for words.
[What is this?]
“…Right?”
Taesan focused his gaze and read the effects. He then let out a hollow laugh.
“What is this.”
The effect was beyond words.
The basic increase in attack power was 30. By simple calculation, it was higher than the attack power of the secondary weapon Taesan was currently wearing.
But he understood why.
As the level increased, the value of attack power gradually diminished. Considering that Lee Taeyeon’s attack power was in the thousands, 30 didn’t mean much.
If it had ended there, it would eventually become discarded equipment, but this was a different story.
[Damage +20% against spirits]
A whopping 20% increase. While limited to spirits, it was an unbelievable figure.
And with a 40% damage increase limited to the Spirit King.
If the spirit damage increase was stacked, it was a total increase of 60%. This alone meant he was over 50% stronger.
It also included a spirit skill. The exact effects were unknown until used, but given the other options, it was unlikely to be poor.
“This is really…
And perhaps one of the biggest options.
[This effect can be transferred to another weapon at any time.]
He could move this effect casually. Even if he equipped a higher-tier weapon, it wouldn’t be discarded.
This was a very good sign. In fact, the term good was an understatement.
“I’m going to use this until the end.”
A kind of graduation-level item.
He had obtained it already.
And since Carvert’s artifact was already magically treated equipment, the fact that the effect had applied without any problems could mean there were no restrictions on attaching effects.
“It’s hard to find a downside.”
If anything, the limitation to spirits might be a downside, but Lee Taeyeon had said that as he descended the labyrinth, spirits consistently appeared, and there was also an entity known as the Spirit King, so there was no problem.
“This is good.”
The effort had been worth it. The crazed spirit’s wish would also be fulfilled, though it might take some time.
Taesan descended to the 25th floor again. Upon reaching it, Halfryn handed him the darkened shoes.
[Golem’s Ore Forged and Spirit-Tempered Shoes]
[Attack Power +15]
[Defense +4]
[Agility +3]
[Movement Speed +15%]
[Action Speed +8%]
[Can dispel all restrictions binding oneself. This skill can only be used once per day.]
[Creates a dreadful black mire where stepped. Anyone but the owner who steps on it will be afflicted with powerful random curses and status ailments.]
[Valuable items crafted by a skilled blacksmith.]
“It’s better to try them out than just read about them.”
Taesan put on the shoes and rolled his foot. The place he stepped on flickered with a black aura.
The area was precisely where he had stepped, and rolling his foot multiple times showed that there was no duration or limit to usage, or it was very high.
“Not bad.”
The extent of the debuff would need to be tested, but it was an effect that could lead the flow of battle as he desired. Not bad at all.
Leaving Halfryn behind, Taesan entered the 30th floor.
[30th Floor Quest Begins]
[Defeat the boss of the 30th floor and pass through.]
[Reward: Fringe of the Lost Souls]
[Secret Reward: ???]
Finally, the third act.
“I’ve kept them alive long enough.”
It was time to deal with the unaddressed sins of the Guide of Sin.