Chapter 27: The Master of the Corrupted Corridor (1)
“Laughable. Unless the Progenitor herself came, do you really think one of her underlings could take us all on?”
Song Cheonhwa growled at Velus, suggesting they could abandon the raid and break through the guardians instead of facing the Progenitor head-on.
The idea of following an enemy to its lair seemed preposterous to him.
“Hmm. Do you truly believe I’m insufficient on my own?”
“Of course. We’ve hunted monsters around level 50 plenty of times.”
The Progenitor’s usual level exceeds 500, but her underlings are much lower, typically around the 50s or, at most, the 60s. Strong, yes, but a well-formed raid team could handle them.
‘Confirmed information from the Tower of Trials’ official boards, this must be accurate.’
Song Cheonhwa took a confident stance.
“Ha! Humans are always so bound by levels.”
Velus chuckled amusedly, then in an instant,
Sparks erupted.
The air shifted dramatically, and Velus’s smile vanished.
“Presumptuous lesser beings dare to belittle me…”
[Velus activates Lv11 ‘Blood Bind’.]
That’s when blood sprayed everywhere.
Thousands of blood droplets, each the size of a child’s fist, engulfed the tanks in an instant.
“Cough?”
“What the—? Quick, dispel it!”
Despite wearing magic-resistant items, the tanks couldn’t move. But right before the dispel cast,
Velus clenched his open palm.
Crack! Crack!
Screams erupted as the immense pressure crushed their armors, and the fate of the people inside was obvious without looking.
As blood fountains sprayed,
“What are you idiots waiting for? Move or die standing there!”
Song Cheonhwa commanded an attack.
“Damn it, charge!”
“We have to kill him before he casts another spell!”
The melee attackers dashed forward, trying to penetrate Velus’s blood-formed shield.
Thud! Thud!
A few weapons managed to pierce Velus’s body, but it was merely a scratch.
Velus remained unbothered.
“Disappointing. You should’ve at least coated your weapons with holy power.”
With that, the attackers surrounding Velus were reduced to blood, their bodies crumbling to pieces.
Their attacks were futile, while Velus’s power overwhelmed the entire raid team.
“How can a vampire be this strong…?”
Song Cheonhwa muttered in disbelief, then a thought struck him.
If a mere vampire underling is this powerful, how formidable is the Progenitor leading them?
He couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Even if he gathered all the top players currently tackling the third floor’s boss, he couldn’t guarantee a successful raid against the Progenitor.
Silently, Song Cheonhwa dropped his shield.
Survival was paramount. Only by surviving could they relay this information outside.
“Do you surrender?”
“Before that, I have a question.”
“Questions… Very well, go ahead.”
“Why do you want to take us?”
It seemed Velus could annihilate the raid team easily, without taking more than an hour if he wished.
So why bother with this cumbersome method?
“We plan to use you as bait.”
“Bait?”
“Our master has taken an interest in a human, particularly one capable of wielding holy power. So, we decided on a more straightforward approach.”
This… is about Teresa.
They were targeting her, after all.
Despite the desperate situation, Song Cheonhwa began searching for possibilities.
‘If the Paladin Teresa joins us…’
Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way not to win but to escape alive.
His decision came quickly.
“…I agree. We’ll follow.”
Song Cheonhwa nodded, then pricked his palm with his thumbnail.
[Emergency Summon Scroll activated. Target: ‘Teresa de Lorencia’.]
A blue status window flickered.
This was their last hope.
Song Cheonhwa prayed silently, hoping the situation would be conveyed to her in full.
＊＊＊
Progenitor, Elise von Ataraxia.
She’s among the strongest beings in the Tower of Trials.
Or was, because she broke her kind’s taboo, fell from grace, and was exiled to the tower’s lowest level, hence the relic’s name: ‘Corridor of the Fallen’.
‘A tale unknown to the world.’
Jinhyuk slowly opened his eyes, greeted by a status window – a personal quest invitation.
[The master of the corridor invites you.] [If you wish to save the players and porters of the raid team, come to the deepest room.] [Difficulty: None Reward: A meeting with the master of the corridor
Accepting the quest will halt all monsters and traps until the last room.]
“What will you do?”
Teresa glanced at Jinhyuk. It wasn’t Jinhyuk’s fight as a non-combat porter.
He could just wait it out.
Jinhyuk shrugged.
“Well, what do you think?”
“Me?”
“I’m not keen on risking myself, but if you earnestly request, I might consider joining.”
“And the terms?”
“A sign of goodwill would suffice. I hear you have a strong subscriber base?”
Jinhyuk circled his fingers.
All too knowing.
The bargaining began.
“Not for money, but for coins. A five-digit sum should rekindle even the dimmest spirit.”
“Deplorable hobby. Weren’t you also seeking the boss for something?”
Cheon Yuseong scoffed, watching.
“Oh, that’s separate. I’m merely asking Teresa for her opinion. Plus, aren’t you leaving the relic?”
“Yes, my purpose here has already failed.”
“Then quietly go on your way. Don’t sprinkle chili powder on a pleasant deal.”
Jinhyuk waved dismissively, and Cheon Yuseong looked even more disdainful.
“…Sometimes I wonder if one must be as vile as you to become strong.”
This guy?
“Sigh, let’s not talk. It’s a waste of breath.”
And he wasn’t entirely wrong.
Jinhyuk sighed and turned to Teresa.
“So, what will it be?”
“Will you help us save the raid team for coins?”
“I can’t promise much, but you won’t regret spending 10,000 coins.”
10,000 coins seemed absurd to anyone listening, given how few have accumulated that much at this point.
But if it meant saving an entire raid team, it was a price worth paying.
The only concern was…
“Aren’t you afraid?”
Facing a kind’s zenith in a non-standard raid could be terrifying.
But,
“Should I be?”
Jinhyuk smiled cryptically, too calm as if he knew the outcome.
Silence fell.
Teresa’s heart raced with an odd sense of anticipation.
Now she had to choose: follow logic or trust her gut.
Just then,
“I should be going. Breaking through the guardians will take time.”
Cheon Yuseong, having drawn his sword, turned to leave.
“Oh, one more thing.”
He paused as if remembering something.
“If it’s hard to decide, consider this.”
He glanced at Jinhyuk with a mix of displeasure and resentment.
“I can’t say whether he can defeat the Progenitor or not.”
As a bystander, he couldn’t guarantee the outcome.
“But.”
Having crossed swords countless times and knowing him well, he could assert one thing.
“If he can’t overcome her, then no player in the Tower of Trials can defeat the Progenitor.”
A testament from the past and future Sword Saint.
Recognizing the most outstanding player among those in the Tower of Trials.
And if 10,000 coins could secure his partnership…
It was a deal far from loss.
“Ignore my nonsense. Ultimately, it’s not my decision.”
Muttering, Cheon Yuseong resumed his departure.
“…Thank you for the advice.”
Teresa nodded, then slightly bowed to Jinhyuk.
“I agree to the contract. Please, fight alongside us.”
＊＊＊
[You have accepted the quest. (2/2 participants)] [Monsters fall into a deep slumber.] [Traps cease operation.]
The entire relic, once brimming with various monsters and traps, fell silent, making their journey considerably smoother.
[A magic +12 increase.]
Jinhyuk absorbed ‘Frozen Tears’, thawed by Teresa, little by little.
‘Quite beneficial.’
A total of 12 stat points, equivalent to leveling up four times.
He felt the noticeably increased magic coursing through his veins.
‘If I can absorb all 100…’
He could freely use not only Cheon Yuseong’s ‘Tomb of the Sword’ and Teresa’s ‘Blessing of the Stars’ but also other top players’ unique abilities and skills.
‘For now, 12 stats is the limit with Teresa’s thawing. I’ll need to settle for that.’
The absorption stages—12, 18, 30, 40—vary depending on the skill used for thawing and require either a person with higher-level skills or special items for the next stages.
‘But, immediate concerns first.’
He recalled the past, countless attempts and failures, and the only path to victory.
No easy feat, but the only way through.
Not much further now.
The passage widened, signaling their approach to the end.