Chapter 10
[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Hey, bro. Is this really the right way?]
[Kang Taesan[Solo]: High risk, high return. Don’t you know? If the gap is too wide, you won’t be able to gain it, so now is the best timing, right?]
[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: No, that’s not the problem. Ah, really… Sorry, bro. I just can’t do it.]
[Kang Taesan[Solo]: Do as you like. It’s not me who’s at a loss.]
[Lee Taejun[Solo]: Junhyuk, it’s not you who’s weird. No one else could gain it except for that guy.]
There are combinations in skills.
When a specific skill meets a certain situation, a new skill is created.
Taesan, who had risen from his spot, takes a deep breath.
[You have activated Breathless.]
Taesan, who had activated the skill, begins to swing his rusty sword.
Being able to hold your breath twice as long is only true when staying still. Once you start moving, the story changes. The whole body demands oxygen, and his face quickly turns red.
But Taesan does not stop swinging his sword.
He strikes with tens of sword strikes.
Eventually, when the number of strikes reaches a hundred.
[You have performed numerous attacks in a single breath. You have acquired the special activation skill [Breathless Attack].] [You have acquired more than ten skills and can proudly say you have obtained skills.] [You have gained the title [Skill Player].]
“Phew!”
Taesan exhales roughly.
There is a tempo to attacks. Just as he read the movements of the Big Rat and caught it, a human also shows signs before moving.
Breathless Attack is a skill that allows you to freely change that tempo.
During an attack, not needing to breathe for 10 seconds removes discomfort, creating enough variables.
It was a skill he often used until he left the labyrinth.
“Title window.”
[Title: Skill Player] [You have acquired 10 skills. All skills’ proficiency receives a bonus.]
A good title that can be basically obtained. Not bad.
“Status window.”
[Kang Taesan] [Level: 3] [Health: 120/120] [Mana: 12/12] [Strength: 10] [Intelligence: 12] [Agility: 21] [Attack Power + 1] [Defense + 7] [The subject is in a tired state.]
Definitely fast. Taeyeon mentioned that her agility reached around 13 when she passed the first floor. It was an overwhelming speed.
If we’re talking about agility alone, even in Hard mode, it would take reaching the 5th floor to achieve such stats. Taesan, enjoying looking at his status window, strokes his chin.
“Should I make one?”
Right now, he has acquired many skills. Even a Hard player reaching the 3rd floor would be weaker than him on the 1st floor. Considering the exponential growth in strength with each floor descended, his speed was exceptionally fast.
But he lacks a main skill.
A skill worth more than ten skills. A skill that can suppress the gap in stats. People called such skills main skills.
For a simple example, Addition that adds current attack power.
Multiplication that squares the current attack power.
Complete Reconnaissance that grasps all hidden elements and situations around.
Attack Nullification that erases the result of an attack itself.
Forced Duel that makes it impossible for anyone other than the target to interfere.
And the widely marveled at, Mini Time Stop, which stops time around.
All of these are main skills. With just one, you can exert overwhelming power compared to other players at the same level. He possessed more than dozens of main skills.
Taesan planned to create one of them.
He drank from the spring, refreshing all his fatigue, and went outside.
Most main skills have quite stringent acquisition conditions due to their power.
For instance, Complete Reconnaissance only forms after Insight evolves two or three times.
Considering that ordinary players can’t even achieve a single skill evolution, it’s practically an impossible skill.
However, there is one skill that can be made even on the 1st floor. In fact, it’s hard to obtain if not now.
Taesan stood still in the passage and waited.
Soon, squeaking sounds were heard.
[A Big Rat has appeared.]
The Big Rat glares at Taesan. Taesan assumes a stance and raises his shield. Instinctively, the Big Rat charges at his open ankle.
[You take 4 damage.]
“Squeak, squeak!”
The Big Rat quickly flees. Taesan remains silent without moving.
After observing Taesan for a while, the Big Rat charges again. Taesan gazes at it impassively.
It all became clear. Agility not only enhances reflexes and speed but also overall cognitive ability. With an agility of 21, he could have squashed the Big Rat as it approached.
But he doesn’t move.
[You take 3 damage.]
“Squeak.”
The Big Rat, thinking Taesan couldn’t react, joyfully squeaks. Now, it doesn’t even flee but circles around Taesan’s feet, biting him.
Damage notifications scroll up.
Like clothes getting wet in a drizzle, his health slowly decreases.
But he doesn’t move.
Taesan opens his status window to check his health.
[Health 23/120]
“A few more hits, it seems.”
He remains still. The Big Rat continues to attack.
[You take 4 damage.]
Remaining health 19.
[You take 3 damage.]
[You take 4 damage.]
[You take 3 damage.] [You are in a critical state.]
[You take 4 damage.] [You take 4 damage.] [You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 3%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.]
With just one more hit leading to death, Taesan finally moves. He slams down his shield.
Boom!
“Squeak, squeak!”
The Big Rat, which had been happily biting, hastily flees. Taesan, like a sturdy fortress, remains still.
“Squeak!”
The Big Rat didn’t like that its nearly dead prey was resisting. It charged immediately, aiming for a gap under the shield. The shield moves to block the rat’s attack aimed at Taesan’s ankle.
Boom!
“Squeak!”
But the shield moves to block the Big Rat’s attack. The rat is forced to retreat in alarm.
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 2%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.] [You have perfectly blocked the opponent’s attack. You have acquired the special passive skill [Block].]
Block. A good skill that erases damage below a certain threshold.
However, it’s not the skill he’s aiming for now. Taesan puts away his spear and focuses on the Big Rat again.
“Squeak!”
The Big Rat hesitates but charges again. It aims for a gap in the shield.
Boom!
But the shield moves to block the Big Rat. The rat has no choice but to retreat again.
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 1%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.]
There is a skill called Endurance.
It nullifies lethal damage once and erases all damage for a short period afterward.
Nullification is a powerful effect.
It allows countering an unavoidable strike from an opponent and can directly pass through traps that would otherwise require risking one’s life.
Taesan greatly benefited from this skill, making it worthy of being called a main skill.
Boom!
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 2%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.]
But no one else has acquired it. Those curious about Taesan asked him after clearing the labyrinth. How did he learn Endurance?
Taesan said it was easy to learn.
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 2%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 1%.]
Skills have defined ways to be acquired. The easiest way is to receive them from someone else. Basic skills like Herb Identification fall into this category.
But only basic skills can be passed on. Skills useful for conquering the labyrinth cannot be acquired this way.
Secondly, achievement. Achieving something others have not grants a corresponding skill.
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 2%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.]
Lastly, simulating the effects of a skill, even if only similarly.
Broadly speaking, Swordsmanship and Shield Skill fall under this concept.
Swinging a sword earned Swordsmanship, and handling a shield earned Shield Skill.
Holding your breath earned Breathless, and swinging your sword several times before exhaling earned Breathless Attack.
So, how would one acquire Endurance, which nullifies a lethal attack?
It’s simple.
[You are on the verge of death.] [Threshold of Death proficiency increased by 2%.] [Calmness proficiency increased by 2%.]
Just continuously block attacks that could lead to death.
[You have blocked attacks that could have killed you several times. You have acquired the special passive skill [Endurance].]
He acquired the skill. Taesan immediately charges at the Big Rat. The rat, alarmed, tries to flee, but the shield crushes its small body.
“Squeak!”
[You have killed the Big Rat.] [Your Spiritual Ascension has activated. Agility permanently increased by 1.] [You have gained a small amount of experience.] [. . .]
He dismisses the appearing windows and opens the skill window.
[Special Passive Skill: Endurance] [Proficiency: 1%] [Nullifies a lethal attack. Afterwards, ignores all damage for 1 second.]
Taesan smiles.
Taeyeon called him crazy after hearing how to obtain Endurance. Chunggeun looked at him with mixed feelings.
But for Taesan, it was the opposite. He couldn’t understand them, who refused because of fear, even though it was a skill that could save their lives.
Yes, a mistake could lead to death, but compared to the reward, it was a very light gamble. The labyrinth is a place where you can’t gain anything without risking your life.
Taesan was just following the rules.
Returning to the spring to recover his health, Taesan begins the verification process.
[Special Passive Skill: Block] [Proficiency: 1%] [Blocks damage below a certain threshold. Currently, can only block damage below 1.]
Block is also a good skill that can block dot damage without problems as its proficiency increases.
The problem is that it’s too hard to increase its proficiency. Since it requires a lot of time and perseverance, no one focuses on it as their main.
Taesan didn’t plan to increase its proficiency immediately. He decided to postpone it for later.
The proficiencies of Threshold of Death and Calmness were quite useful.
[Special Passive Skill: Calmness] [Proficiency: 31%] [An unshakeable mind. Unless a being beyond perception appears, one does not panic. Receives a suitable adjustment in judgments.] [Special Passive Skill: Threshold of Death] [Proficiency: 68%] [Can sense when death is near. Activates in most crises. Also activates when taking significant damage.]
Both texts have changed. Especially Threshold of Death was attractive. It means he can foresee most traps.
“Are there any more skills to obtain?”
There seemed to be a few, but he couldn’t remember. It was difficult to recall all two hundred or so skills at once. Taesan rummaged through his memory.
“Ah, there was the Hermit!”
Just then, a loud voice echoed. Taesan instinctively grabbed his shield.
“Good reflexes!”
The golden elder looked at him with a smile.
No monster can enter the spring of life.
That’s an NPC.
[You have encountered a Seeker of the Divine.]
“Hello.”
He greeted while not letting his guard down. Taeyeon had said that most NPCs in Solo mode are nuts. He recalled what she said about a knight in golden armor, an old knight or something, as he started the conversation.
The knight, stroking his white beard, asked.
“Are you an adventurer?”
“Adventurer?”
“It’s a general term for those striving to conquer the labyrinth. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As they talked, he tried to recall further.
[When I was resting at the 1st floor’s spring of life, some old knight came. Was he a holy knight serving the gods or something?]
And what did she say next?
It came back to him. Taesan hurriedly raised his shield as the holy knight approached. Despite being quite a distance away, the knight arrived in front of him in just one step.
The holy knight, smiling gently, raised his fist.
“Try to block this.”
[Ainshar launches a non-lethal attack.] [Ainshar’s attack.]
The fist descends upon Taesan.
