Chapter 14
Taesan returns to the entrance and takes a step forward.
Swoosh!
An arrow flies towards him. Easily caught by Taesan, he concludes:
The arrows keep refilling.
“Good.”
Taesan moves forward confidently. Two more arrows fly towards him, which he catches and stashes in his inventory.
Then, he steps back, catching another set of arrows the same way and putting them away.
And forward again, catching two more arrows.
And again into the inventory.
He now has seven arrows. It’s a considerably small number. Buying arrows would be too expensive at 10 gold each. Just fifty arrows would cost 500 gold.
So, he decides to collect some here.
“A hundred should suffice,” Taesan mutters as he catches the incoming arrows.
During this repetitive task, he occasionally encounters different types of arrows.
[Poison Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to poison the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] [Paralysis Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to paralyze the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] “Everything’s flying at me.”
He quickly adds them to his inventory. These were arrows not easily found elsewhere. After about thirty minutes, he manages to collect around a hundred arrows.
Taesan organizes his inventory: eighty regular arrows, ten poison arrows, and ten paralysis arrows.
Items of the same type can stack up to twenty, and the inventory has twenty slots in total. He’s used six slots. It was a satisfying haul. With this, he could manage until the next floor.
“Quite the bounty.”
It was a kind of loophole.
The labyrinth was designed so arrows shot by traps would shatter upon hitting anything, preventing players from collecting them. It was assumed that 1st-floor players couldn’t catch arrows and, by the time they could, wouldn’t waste time returning to such places. A reasonably logical setup.
But Taesan’s agility was 25. Even in Alone mode, it’s a stat unachievable on the 1st floor, already approaching a quarter of his previous life’s achievements. Catching an arrow or two was trivial, allowing him to collect a decent amount.
“Now then.”
Taesan takes a deep breath. It was time to breach the arrow trap.
If he only intended to pass through, it would be quite simple. He had a tower shield, so charging forward would suffice.
But his goal wasn’t just to retrieve the reward. He needed to extract more from the process.
Taesan dashes forward, stepping onto the midsection of the floor.
Pipipik!
A piercing sound as five arrows fly towards him.
He dodges an arrow aimed at his head, kicks away another targeting his leg, and catches one arrow in each hand.
The remaining arrow targets Taesan’s abdomen. He swats it away with the hand holding an arrow. The deflected arrow ricochets off the wall.
He leaps again. This time, nine arrows are launched simultaneously. Hearing the sharp whoosh, Taesan inhales.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] His movements aren’t hindered by the need to breathe, enhancing his agility.
[Your Situational Awareness proficiency has increased by 2%.] He sees everything clearly. Despite the usually narrowed field of vision during combat, his perspective widens.
Three in front, two on the left, three on the right, one towards the feet. Dodging all is impossible.
[Your Insight proficiency has increased by 2%.] [Your Composure proficiency has increased by 1%.] Yet, his heart remains steady.
[You have heightened your senses in a critical situation. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Enhanced Sensation].] His senses sharpen. He can feel where arrows are coming from without seeing them.
The arrows aren’t fired simultaneously. There’s a slight delay. He focuses on avoiding the closest ones first. He tilts his head, barely missing an arrow.
Eight left.
He deflects an arrow with his leg and catches one in each hand.
Five left. One on the left. Three in front. One on the right.
All target his chest, coming from different trajectories, making it impossible to block perfectly.
So, he decides to ignore some. The arrow from the right is fastest.
[You have activated Deflection. The next attack is diverted.] The arrow from the right twists just before hitting Taesan’s waist.
“Ah!”
The arrow grazes him but doesn’t penetrate.
[You take 8 damage.] It hurts, but it’s bearable. Ignoring the right-side arrow gave him room to maneuver.
He catches and deflects the front arrows in one motion. The overlapping trajectories make it easy to handle them at once. He immediately slams down the left arrow. The arrow shatters upon hitting the floor.
Tap.
And finally, he steps on the last trigger.
Peep!
Taesan’s eyes flutter. Fifteen arrows are launched.
“Crazy.”
The number of arrows depended on the floor tiles pressed. Expecting ten at the end, five more suddenly added was a surprise. Taesan clicks his tongue and moves his arms quickly.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] Fortunately, most of the arrows’ trajectories overlap.
He throws one caught arrow from the left, causing it and another to veer off in odd directions.
He tilts his head left to dodge one arrow and then right to avoid two more. The slight delay allows the last two to hit the far wall.
The right-side arrows perfectly overlap in trajectory, meaning one move can deflect them all. He swings his right arm, dislodging three arrows.
He steps on two more arrows.
Still, five remain. But there’s no chance to block. The arrows are too close.
So, he doesn’t block. Taesan pulls back his arms. The arrows embed themselves.
“Ugh.”
Taesan groans. The sharp pain of the arrows piercing through is intensely unpleasant.
[You take approximately five instances of 16 damage.] [You have become crippled.] [You are bleeding and will continuously lose health.] “Damn it.”
Blood runs down his arms. The pain, possibly reaching his bones, invades his brain.
“It’s damn painful.”
If he hadn’t experienced this a few times before, he’d probably be writhing on the floor by now.
[You have endured terrible pain. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Pain Reduction].] The skill slightly alleviates the pain, but the difference is minimal. Skills that improve with proficiency exist, and Pain Reduction was among them, becoming truly useful as it levels up.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t bad. Sweating, Taesan breaks the arrow shafts.
[Health: 54/140] He has enough health to survive. Knowing the damage wouldn’t be fatal, he confidently took the hit.
He can recover fully once he reaches the Fountain of Life, so he just needs to move slowly. Being crippled and bleeding also had their lessons.
“If I had dodged everything, I would’ve had to get hit on purpose later, but now there’s no need.”
Taesan pulls a lever next to the chest. The sound of mechanisms breaking echoes from within the walls.
No more arrows will be fired. And now, it’s time for the reward.
Taesan opens the chest with a fluttering heart. Inside lies a red staff.
He forgets the pain for a moment, astonished.
“A staff already?”
Staffs could heal, summon water, create fire, obscure vision, or mesmerize.
This versatile item, capable of wielding various magical powers, significantly eases the labyrinth’s navigation.
And in easy mode, it typically appears past the 20th floor. In hard mode, it’s not seen until at least the 10th floor. Finding one on the 1st floor, even in Alone mode, was baffling.
“Is it a staff-shaped club?”
Doubtful, Taesan examines the staff.
[Staff of Flame] [A staff used by novice mages. It allows the casting of the basic spell [Fireball].] “…It’s real.”
And it’s the highly valuable Staff of Flame, especially valuable in the early game.
“Is this the average for Alone mode?”
Ireon barely made it through any secret rooms, making it hard to compare. If this is the average, the journey ahead just got much easier.
But such rewards don’t come without a cost. The last fifteen arrows were manageable because he had gained much. An average person would’ve been killed, explaining why no one had previously disclosed this place.
Taesan takes the staff and turns around. It’s time to return to the Fountain of Life.
“Squeak! Squeak!”
On his way back, a Big Rat attacks him. Despite being unable to use one arm, his stats ensure it’s not a problem.
However, Taesan doesn’t kill it immediately but prolongs the fight. When the Big Rat is nearly defeated, a system notification appears.
[You have gained the activation skill [Unyielding Will] for remaining active despite being in a crippled state for an extended period.] “Good.”
A skill gained for fighting in a crippled state for a long time. Taesan wanted this skill. He finishes off the Big Rat.
“Squeak!”
[You have defeated the Big Rat.] He dismisses the pop-up windows. With leveling up and spirit ascension no longer applicable, there’s no need to check each one.
[You are in peak condition.] Back at the Fountain of Life, Taesan recovers his health and reviews his acquired skills.
[Continuous Activation Skill: Pain Reduction] [Proficiency: 1%] [You become slightly more resistant to pain, but your sensitivity remains unchanged.] [Continuous Activation Skill: Enhanced Sensation] [Proficiency: 1%] [Your senses are sharpened. It seems you can only feel things like murderous intent for now.] Both were decent skills. Although not immediately useful, their value would increase exponentially with proficiency, providing significant benefits. Raising proficiency was straightforward, naturally occurring as he fought and navigated the labyrinth.
[Activation Skill: Unyielding Will] [Mana Cost: 1] [Proficiency: 1%] [No injury or wound can deter your fighting spirit. You can ignore injuries and fight for 10 seconds during combat.] A skill that ignores all conditions, a lower-tier version of the unstoppable power. Temporarily ignoring injuries was incredibly useful.
And the skill from the Staff of Flame, Fireball.
[Basic Magic: Fireball] [Mana Cost: 3] [Proficiency: 1%] [Launches a fireball. Enemies without immunity suffer significant damage. Attempts to inflict the [Burn] condition on the target.] It matched the skill he had seen before.
“Jackpot.”
There were endless ways to utilize it. Taesan, delighted, stores the staff in his inventory.
“Is this the end?”
It seemed he had gained everything possible on the 1st floor.
Time to descend.
Taesan stands and walks through the labyrinth. It didn’t take long to find the path to the 2nd floor.
The door, distinctly red, indicating a different realm, was hard to miss.
This was the gateway to the 2nd floor.
And with every floor transition, a boss awaited.
Taesan, shield in hand, opens the door. A staircase leading downwards emerges, and the monster guarding it becomes visible.
“Squeak.”
It resembled a Big Rat but was larger. Black, sharp fur. Hideously protruding teeth.
Yet, it was bigger, about the size of a human. Its red eyes slowly shift towards him.
“So, this is the 1st-floor boss.”
A formidable boss with sharp claws, known to be a challenging adversary that easy mode players encounter around the 10th floor.
“Squeak!”
[The Giant Rat has appeared.]
Taesan returns to the entrance and takes a step forward.
Swoosh!
An arrow flies towards him. Easily caught by Taesan, he concludes:
The arrows keep refilling.
“Good.”
Taesan moves forward confidently. Two more arrows fly towards him, which he catches and stashes in his inventory.
Then, he steps back, catching another set of arrows the same way and putting them away.
And forward again, catching two more arrows.
And again into the inventory.
He now has seven arrows. It’s a considerably small number. Buying arrows would be too expensive at 10 gold each. Just fifty arrows would cost 500 gold.
So, he decides to collect some here.
“A hundred should suffice,” Taesan mutters as he catches the incoming arrows.
During this repetitive task, he occasionally encounters different types of arrows.
[Poison Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to poison the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] [Paralysis Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to paralyze the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] “Everything’s flying at me.”
He quickly adds them to his inventory. These were arrows not easily found elsewhere. After about thirty minutes, he manages to collect around a hundred arrows.
Taesan organizes his inventory: eighty regular arrows, ten poison arrows, and ten paralysis arrows.
Items of the same type can stack up to twenty, and the inventory has twenty slots in total. He’s used six slots. It was a satisfying haul. With this, he could manage until the next floor.
“Quite the bounty.”
It was a kind of loophole.
The labyrinth was designed so arrows shot by traps would shatter upon hitting anything, preventing players from collecting them. It was assumed that 1st-floor players couldn’t catch arrows and, by the time they could, wouldn’t waste time returning to such places. A reasonably logical setup.
But Taesan’s agility was 25. Even in Alone mode, it’s a stat unachievable on the 1st floor, already approaching a quarter of his previous life’s achievements. Catching an arrow or two was trivial, allowing him to collect a decent amount.
“Now then.”
Taesan takes a deep breath. It was time to breach the arrow trap.
If he only intended to pass through, it would be quite simple. He had a tower shield, so charging forward would suffice.
But his goal wasn’t just to retrieve the reward. He needed to extract more from the process.
Taesan dashes forward, stepping onto the midsection of the floor.
Pipipik!
A piercing sound as five arrows fly towards him.
He dodges an arrow aimed at his head, kicks away another targeting his leg, and catches one arrow in each hand.
The remaining arrow targets Taesan’s abdomen. He swats it away with the hand holding an arrow. The deflected arrow ricochets off the wall.
He leaps again. This time, nine arrows are launched simultaneously. Hearing the sharp whoosh, Taesan inhales.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] His movements aren’t hindered by the need to breathe, enhancing his agility.
[Your Situational Awareness proficiency has increased by 2%.] He sees everything clearly. Despite the usually narrowed field of vision during combat, his perspective widens.
Three in front, two on the left, three on the right, one towards the feet. Dodging all is impossible.
[Your Insight proficiency has increased by 2%.] [Your Composure proficiency has increased by 1%.] Yet, his heart remains steady.
[You have heightened your senses in a critical situation. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Enhanced Sensation].] His senses sharpen. He can feel where arrows are coming from without seeing them.
The arrows aren’t fired simultaneously. There’s a slight delay. He focuses on avoiding the closest ones first. He tilts his head, barely missing an arrow.
Eight left.
He deflects an arrow with his leg and catches one in each hand.
Five left. One on the left. Three in front. One on the right.
All target his chest, coming from different trajectories, making it impossible to block perfectly.
So, he decides to ignore some. The arrow from the right is fastest.
[You have activated Deflection. The next attack is diverted.] The arrow from the right twists just before hitting Taesan’s waist.
“Ah!”
The arrow grazes him but doesn’t penetrate.
[You take 8 damage.] It hurts, but it’s bearable. Ignoring the right-side arrow gave him room to maneuver.
He catches and deflects the front arrows in one motion. The overlapping trajectories make it easy to handle them at once. He immediately slams down the left arrow. The arrow shatters upon hitting the floor.
Tap.
And finally, he steps on the last trigger.
Peep!
Taesan’s eyes flutter. Fifteen arrows are launched.
“Crazy.”
The number of arrows depended on the floor tiles pressed. Expecting ten at the end, five more suddenly added was a surprise. Taesan clicks his tongue and moves his arms quickly.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] Fortunately, most of the arrows’ trajectories overlap.
He throws one caught arrow from the left, causing it and another to veer off in odd directions.
He tilts his head left to dodge one arrow and then right to avoid two more. The slight delay allows the last two to hit the far wall.
The right-side arrows perfectly overlap in trajectory, meaning one move can deflect them all. He swings his right arm, dislodging three arrows.
He steps on two more arrows.
Still, five remain. But there’s no chance to block. The arrows are too close.
So, he doesn’t block. Taesan pulls back his arms. The arrows embed themselves.
“Ugh.”
Taesan groans. The sharp pain of the arrows piercing through is intensely unpleasant.
[You take approximately five instances of 16 damage.] [You have become crippled.] [You are bleeding and will continuously lose health.] “Damn it.”
Blood runs down his arms. The pain, possibly reaching his bones, invades his brain.
“It’s damn painful.”
If he hadn’t experienced this a few times before, he’d probably be writhing on the floor by now.
[You have endured terrible pain. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Pain Reduction].] The skill slightly alleviates the pain, but the difference is minimal. Skills that improve with proficiency exist, and Pain Reduction was among them, becoming truly useful as it levels up.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t bad. Sweating, Taesan breaks the arrow shafts.
[Health: 54/140] He has enough health to survive. Knowing the damage wouldn’t be fatal, he confidently took the hit.
He can recover fully once he reaches the Fountain of Life, so he just needs to move slowly. Being crippled and bleeding also had their lessons.
“If I had dodged everything, I would’ve had to get hit on purpose later, but now there’s no need.”
Taesan pulls a lever next to the chest. The sound of mechanisms breaking echoes from within the walls.
No more arrows will be fired. And now, it’s time for the reward.
Taesan opens the chest with a fluttering heart. Inside lies a red staff.
He forgets the pain for a moment, astonished.
“A staff already?”
Staffs could heal, summon water, create fire, obscure vision, or mesmerize.
This versatile item, capable of wielding various magical powers, significantly eases the labyrinth’s navigation.
And in easy mode, it typically appears past the 20th floor. In hard mode, it’s not seen until at least the 10th floor. Finding one on the 1st floor, even in Alone mode, was baffling.
“Is it a staff-shaped club?”
Doubtful, Taesan examines the staff.
[Staff of Flame] [A staff used by novice mages. It allows the casting of the basic spell [Fireball].] “…It’s real.”
And it’s the highly valuable Staff of Flame, especially valuable in the early game.
“Is this the average for Alone mode?”
Ireon barely made it through any secret rooms, making it hard to compare. If this is the average, the journey ahead just got much easier.
But such rewards don’t come without a cost. The last fifteen arrows were manageable because he had gained much. An average person would’ve been killed, explaining why no one had previously disclosed this place.
Taesan takes the staff and turns around. It’s time to return to the Fountain of Life.
“Squeak! Squeak!”
On his way back, a Big Rat attacks him. Despite being unable to use one arm, his stats ensure it’s not a problem.
However, Taesan doesn’t kill it immediately but prolongs the fight. When the Big Rat is nearly defeated, a system notification appears.
[You have gained the activation skill [Unyielding Will] for remaining active despite being in a crippled state for an extended period.] “Good.”
A skill gained for fighting in a crippled state for a long time. Taesan wanted this skill. He finishes off the Big Rat.
“Squeak!”
[You have defeated the Big Rat.] He dismisses the pop-up windows. With leveling up and spirit ascension no longer applicable, there’s no need to check each one.
[You are in peak condition.] Back at the Fountain of Life, Taesan recovers his health and reviews his acquired skills.
[Continuous Activation Skill: Pain Reduction] [Proficiency: 1%] [You become slightly more resistant to pain, but your sensitivity remains unchanged.] [Continuous Activation Skill: Enhanced Sensation] [Proficiency: 1%] [Your senses are sharpened. It seems you can only feel things like murderous intent for now.] Both were decent skills. Although not immediately useful, their value would increase exponentially with proficiency, providing significant benefits. Raising proficiency was straightforward, naturally occurring as he fought and navigated the labyrinth.
[Activation Skill: Unyielding Will] [Mana Cost: 1] [Proficiency: 1%] [No injury or wound can deter your fighting spirit. You can ignore injuries and fight for 10 seconds during combat.] A skill that ignores all conditions, a lower-tier version of the unstoppable power. Temporarily ignoring injuries was incredibly useful.
And the skill from the Staff of Flame, Fireball.
[Basic Magic: Fireball] [Mana Cost: 3] [Proficiency: 1%] [Launches a fireball. Enemies without immunity suffer significant damage. Attempts to inflict the [Burn] condition on the target.] It matched the skill he had seen before.
“Jackpot.”
There were endless ways to utilize it. Taesan, delighted, stores the staff in his inventory.
“Is this the end?”
It seemed he had gained everything possible on the 1st floor.
Time to descend.
Taesan stands and walks through the labyrinth. It didn’t take long to find the path to the 2nd floor.
The door, distinctly red, indicating a different realm, was hard to miss.
This was the gateway to the 2nd floor.
And with every floor transition, a boss awaited.
Taesan, shield in hand, opens the door. A staircase leading downwards emerges, and the monster guarding it becomes visible.
“Squeak.”
It resembled a Big Rat but was larger. Black, sharp fur. Hideously protruding teeth.
Yet, it was bigger, about the size of a human. Its red eyes slowly shift towards him.
“So, this is the 1st-floor boss.”
A formidable boss with sharp claws, known to be a challenging adversary that easy mode players encounter around the 10th floor.
“Squeak!”
[The Giant Rat has appeared.]
Taesan returns to the entrance and takes a step forward.
Swoosh!
An arrow flies towards him. Easily caught by Taesan, he concludes:
The arrows keep refilling.
“Good.”
Taesan moves forward confidently. Two more arrows fly towards him, which he catches and stashes in his inventory.
Then, he steps back, catching another set of arrows the same way and putting them away.
And forward again, catching two more arrows.
And again into the inventory.
He now has seven arrows. It’s a considerably small number. Buying arrows would be too expensive at 10 gold each. Just fifty arrows would cost 500 gold.
So, he decides to collect some here.
“A hundred should suffice,” Taesan mutters as he catches the incoming arrows.
During this repetitive task, he occasionally encounters different types of arrows.
[Poison Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to poison the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] [Paralysis Arrow] [Attack Power + 2] [Attempts to paralyze the target. Success depends on the level and stats.] “Everything’s flying at me.”
He quickly adds them to his inventory. These were arrows not easily found elsewhere. After about thirty minutes, he manages to collect around a hundred arrows.
Taesan organizes his inventory: eighty regular arrows, ten poison arrows, and ten paralysis arrows.
Items of the same type can stack up to twenty, and the inventory has twenty slots in total. He’s used six slots. It was a satisfying haul. With this, he could manage until the next floor.
“Quite the bounty.”
It was a kind of loophole.
The labyrinth was designed so arrows shot by traps would shatter upon hitting anything, preventing players from collecting them. It was assumed that 1st-floor players couldn’t catch arrows and, by the time they could, wouldn’t waste time returning to such places. A reasonably logical setup.
But Taesan’s agility was 25. Even in Alone mode, it’s a stat unachievable on the 1st floor, already approaching a quarter of his previous life’s achievements. Catching an arrow or two was trivial, allowing him to collect a decent amount.
“Now then.”
Taesan takes a deep breath. It was time to breach the arrow trap.
If he only intended to pass through, it would be quite simple. He had a tower shield, so charging forward would suffice.
But his goal wasn’t just to retrieve the reward. He needed to extract more from the process.
Taesan dashes forward, stepping onto the midsection of the floor.
Pipipik!
A piercing sound as five arrows fly towards him.
He dodges an arrow aimed at his head, kicks away another targeting his leg, and catches one arrow in each hand.
The remaining arrow targets Taesan’s abdomen. He swats it away with the hand holding an arrow. The deflected arrow ricochets off the wall.
He leaps again. This time, nine arrows are launched simultaneously. Hearing the sharp whoosh, Taesan inhales.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] His movements aren’t hindered by the need to breathe, enhancing his agility.
[Your Situational Awareness proficiency has increased by 2%.] He sees everything clearly. Despite the usually narrowed field of vision during combat, his perspective widens.
Three in front, two on the left, three on the right, one towards the feet. Dodging all is impossible.
[Your Insight proficiency has increased by 2%.] [Your Composure proficiency has increased by 1%.] Yet, his heart remains steady.
[You have heightened your senses in a critical situation. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Enhanced Sensation].] His senses sharpen. He can feel where arrows are coming from without seeing them.
The arrows aren’t fired simultaneously. There’s a slight delay. He focuses on avoiding the closest ones first. He tilts his head, barely missing an arrow.
Eight left.
He deflects an arrow with his leg and catches one in each hand.
Five left. One on the left. Three in front. One on the right.
All target his chest, coming from different trajectories, making it impossible to block perfectly.
So, he decides to ignore some. The arrow from the right is fastest.
[You have activated Deflection. The next attack is diverted.] The arrow from the right twists just before hitting Taesan’s waist.
“Ah!”
The arrow grazes him but doesn’t penetrate.
[You take 8 damage.] It hurts, but it’s bearable. Ignoring the right-side arrow gave him room to maneuver.
He catches and deflects the front arrows in one motion. The overlapping trajectories make it easy to handle them at once. He immediately slams down the left arrow. The arrow shatters upon hitting the floor.
Tap.
And finally, he steps on the last trigger.
Peep!
Taesan’s eyes flutter. Fifteen arrows are launched.
“Crazy.”
The number of arrows depended on the floor tiles pressed. Expecting ten at the end, five more suddenly added was a surprise. Taesan clicks his tongue and moves his arms quickly.
[You have activated Breathless Assault. You gain freedom from breathing for the next 10 seconds.] Fortunately, most of the arrows’ trajectories overlap.
He throws one caught arrow from the left, causing it and another to veer off in odd directions.
He tilts his head left to dodge one arrow and then right to avoid two more. The slight delay allows the last two to hit the far wall.
The right-side arrows perfectly overlap in trajectory, meaning one move can deflect them all. He swings his right arm, dislodging three arrows.
He steps on two more arrows.
Still, five remain. But there’s no chance to block. The arrows are too close.
So, he doesn’t block. Taesan pulls back his arms. The arrows embed themselves.
“Ugh.”
Taesan groans. The sharp pain of the arrows piercing through is intensely unpleasant.
[You take approximately five instances of 16 damage.] [You have become crippled.] [You are bleeding and will continuously lose health.] “Damn it.”
Blood runs down his arms. The pain, possibly reaching his bones, invades his brain.
“It’s damn painful.”
If he hadn’t experienced this a few times before, he’d probably be writhing on the floor by now.
[You have endured terrible pain. You have gained the continuous activation skill [Pain Reduction].] The skill slightly alleviates the pain, but the difference is minimal. Skills that improve with proficiency exist, and Pain Reduction was among them, becoming truly useful as it levels up.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t bad. Sweating, Taesan breaks the arrow shafts.
[Health: 54/140] He has enough health to survive. Knowing the damage wouldn’t be fatal, he confidently took the hit.
He can recover fully once he reaches the Fountain of Life, so he just needs to move slowly. Being crippled and bleeding also had their lessons.
“If I had dodged everything, I would’ve had to get hit on purpose later, but now there’s no need.”
Taesan pulls a lever next to the chest. The sound of mechanisms breaking echoes from within the walls.
No more arrows will be fired. And now, it’s time for the reward.
Taesan opens the chest with a fluttering heart. Inside lies a red staff.
He forgets the pain for a moment, astonished.
“A staff already?”
Staffs could heal, summon water, create fire, obscure vision, or mesmerize.
This versatile item, capable of wielding various magical powers, significantly eases the labyrinth’s navigation.
And in easy mode, it typically appears past the 20th floor. In hard mode, it’s not seen until at least the 10th floor. Finding one on the 1st floor, even in Alone mode, was baffling.
“Is it a staff-shaped club?”
Doubtful, Taesan examines the staff.
[Staff of Flame] [A staff used by novice mages. It allows the casting of the basic spell [Fireball].] “…It’s real.”
And it’s the highly valuable Staff of Flame, especially valuable in the early game.
“Is this the average for Alone mode?”
Ireon barely made it through any secret rooms, making it hard to compare. If this is the average, the journey ahead just got much easier.
But such rewards don’t come without a cost. The last fifteen arrows were manageable because he had gained much. An average person would’ve been killed, explaining why no one had previously disclosed this place.
Taesan takes the staff and turns around. It’s time to return to the Fountain of Life.
“Squeak! Squeak!”
On his way back, a Big Rat attacks him. Despite being unable to use one arm, his stats ensure it’s not a problem.
However, Taesan doesn’t kill it immediately but prolongs the fight. When the Big Rat is nearly defeated, a system notification appears.
[You have gained the activation skill [Unyielding Will] for remaining active despite being in a crippled state for an extended period.] “Good.”
A skill gained for fighting in a crippled state for a long time. Taesan wanted this skill. He finishes off the Big Rat.
“Squeak!”
[You have defeated the Big Rat.] He dismisses the pop-up windows. With leveling up and spirit ascension no longer applicable, there’s no need to check each one.
[You are in peak condition.] Back at the Fountain of Life, Taesan recovers his health and reviews his acquired skills.
[Continuous Activation Skill: Pain Reduction] [Proficiency: 1%] [You become slightly more resistant to pain, but your sensitivity remains unchanged.] [Continuous Activation Skill: Enhanced Sensation] [Proficiency: 1%] [Your senses are sharpened. It seems you can only feel things like murderous intent for now.] Both were decent skills. Although not immediately useful, their value would increase exponentially with proficiency, providing significant benefits. Raising proficiency was straightforward, naturally occurring as he fought and navigated the labyrinth.
[Activation Skill: Unyielding Will] [Mana Cost: 1] [Proficiency: 1%] [No injury or wound can deter your fighting spirit. You can ignore injuries and fight for 10 seconds during combat.] A skill that ignores all conditions, a lower-tier version of the unstoppable power. Temporarily ignoring injuries was incredibly useful.
And the skill from the Staff of Flame, Fireball.
[Basic Magic: Fireball] [Mana Cost: 3] [Proficiency: 1%] [Launches a fireball. Enemies without immunity suffer significant damage. Attempts to inflict the [Burn] condition on the target.] It matched the skill he had seen before.
“Jackpot.”
There were endless ways to utilize it. Taesan, delighted, stores the staff in his inventory.
“Is this the end?”
It seemed he had gained everything possible on the 1st floor.
Time to descend.
Taesan stands and walks through the labyrinth. It didn’t take long to find the path to the 2nd floor.
The door, distinctly red, indicating a different realm, was hard to miss.
This was the gateway to the 2nd floor.
And with every floor transition, a boss awaited.
Taesan, shield in hand, opens the door. A staircase leading downwards emerges, and the monster guarding it becomes visible.
“Squeak.”
It resembled a Big Rat but was larger. Black, sharp fur. Hideously protruding teeth.
Yet, it was bigger, about the size of a human. Its red eyes slowly shift towards him.
“So, this is the 1st-floor boss.”
A formidable boss with sharp claws, known to be a challenging adversary that easy mode players encounter around the 10th floor.
“Squeak!”
[The Giant Rat has appeared.]
